Mary Ann Bulawa, a sophomore at Rome Free Academy, took top honors at Utica Colleges 34th annual Regional Science Fair Saturday.

Her project, Optimizing Algae Growth, garnered the senior level grand prize, which includes two years of half tuition at Utica College, along with an all-expense paid trip to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh in May.

The senior level runner-up was Grace Atik from Clinton, a ninth-grade student, for her project, We Didnt Start the Fire. She will be eligible for a one-year, half-tuition scholarship at Utica College.

Taking top honors in the junior level were Neila Rekic and Katelyn Zaleski, eighth-grade students from John F. Kennedy Middle School in Utica, for their project, The Electrolyte Challenge.

Local students in grades 7 through 12 from Oneida and Chenango counties presented their research and experiments in categories ranging from behavioral and computer science to microbiology and engineering.

Schools participating this year were: Clinton, Donovan Middle School, John F. Kennedy Middle School, New Hartford, Perry Junior High, Poland, Rome Catholic, Rome Free Academy, Strough Junior High, Proctor and Whitesboro.

Entrants competed in either the senior level (grades 9-12) or junior level (grades 7-8) for cash prizes, tuition scholarships, and select special prizes awarded by organizations such as the American Meteorological Association, Intel, the U.S. Army and many others.

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RFA sophomore wins regional science fair