Fulton Students Win Big at Technology Fair

Dozens of Fulton County students took home top honors at the 2014 Georgia Educational Technology Fair held in Macon. 

Thirty-nine students, representing 29 projects, won first place awards at the fair. Sixty-six projects advanced from the district level fair to the state competition, and nearly half of those garnered a first place win. 

“With two new regions added to the fair this year, the competition was more challenging than ever. There were more than 600 students competing statewide,” said Maryelizabeth Ward, chair of the district’s Technology Fair and a school technology specialist at Oak Knoll Elementary. “We’re so proud of Fulton’s performance. Our students did exceptionally well in the new Mobile Applications Design category and we placed in every grade division. We also had students place in every grade division in Web 2.0 Internet Applications.” 

To be eligible for state competition, students had to win first place among 15 categories at the district-level fair.  

“Fulton County hosts the state’s largest regional technology fair, which is as big, if not bigger than, the state competition,” said Hoke Wilcox, director of the school system’s Instructional Technology Department. “The commitment from students, parents, staff members and partners is an awesome demonstration of how our communities support education.”  

First place winners, along with their grades and schools, in the state competition include:

3D Modeling            

• Apurva Nemala, 7-8, Taylor Road Middle School
• Mihir Kurande, 11-12, Alpharetta High School

Animated Graphic Design     

• Pooja Vikraman, 7-8, River Trail Middle School
• Monish Narayanan, 11-12, Chattahoochee High School

Case Modification             

• Victoria Bell and Jesus Villanueva, 5-6, Holmes Elementary School
• Saim Khalid and Muhamma Pardesi, 9-10, Fulton Science Academy
• Shingirai Kucherera and Matt Mingorance, 11-12, Fulton Science Academy

Digital Photography

• Avanthika Ramesh, 9-10, Milton High School

Digital Video Production

• Elias Hutchinson, 7-8, Northwestern Middle School

Game Design

• Saad Mufti, 5-6, Dolvin Elementary School
• Joshua Viszlai, 9-10, Johns Creek High School
• Sean Flanagan, 11-12, Milton High School 

Hardware

• Harrison Holberton and Timothy Riordan, 11-12, Fulton Science Academy 

Individual Programming Challenge

• Praneeth Kolichala, 7-8, River Trail Middle School
• Siddha Duddikunta, 11-12, Chattahoochee High School

Mobile Applications Design

• Varun Vijay, 3-4, Fulton Sunshine Academy
• Andrew Mattie and Anthony Mattie, 9-10, Cambridge HS and Hopewell MS
• Juan Sephulveda, 11-12, Fulton Science Academy

Multimedia Applications

• Vino Ruppa-Kasani, 3-4, Fulton Sunshine Academy
• Azka Iqbal and Ayesha Iqbal, 11-12, Fulton Science Academy

Non-Multimedia

• Diane Moore, 5-6, Autrey Mill Middle School
• Cassand Manrique, 7-8, Elkins Pointe Middle School
• Zoya Mahmood and Ohenekar Durojaiye, 11-12, Chattahoochee High School

Project Programming

• Pranav Chebolu, 5-6, Crabapple Crossing Elementary School
• Michael Sofia, 7-8, Hopewell Middle School 

Robotics 

• Michael O’Connor and Jack O’Connor, 3-4, Birmingham Falls Elementary School

Web 2.0 Internet Applications

• Mira Eashwaren, 3-4, Crabapple Crossing Elementary School
• Madha Ghatpande and Sireesh Ramesh, 7-8, Taylor Road Middle School
• Alojuan Hopper and Skylar Romocki, 11-12, Roswell High School