Five Payson students will represent the school district at the Arizona State Science and Engineering Fair, March 31 through April 2 at the Phoenix Convention Center.

Carm Locke, a Rim Country Middle School (RCMS) science teacher, said 11 students from Rim Country schools were chosen to participate in the state competition after winning the Gila County Regional Science Fair.

Seven schools participated in the Feb. 26 county fair in Miami Payson, Globe, Tonto Basin, Young, Hayden-Winkelman, San Carlos, and Pine-Strawberry, said Holly Sow of the Gila County Superintendents Office.

Projects were required to meet specific criteria in order to win first, said Sow. In all we had 95 projects from 127 students.

A panel of distinguished judges, had to narrow the field to the 11 winners, said Sow.

Locke was thrilled with the results.

Forty students, grade 6-12 scored placements at the local science fair to compete at the county this year, said Locke of the Payson students.

Sow said, Our judges were great and really put in a lot of time. All students will be receiving the written feedback from the judges next week.

The 11 who won can modify their projects according to the judges recommendations prior to competing on the state level.

Each student in the county science fair had to pass a district level science fair first.

Original post:
Students off to state science fair