Tomball ISD Students Shine at 2025-26 District Science Fair

TOMBALL — Tomball ISD students demonstrated innovation, curiosity, and advanced scientific thinking at the 2026 Tomball ISD District Science Fair, held at the Tomball Event Center, as the event saw significant growth in participation this year.

The District Science Fair featured 75 student projects, marking a 21% increase from last year’s 62 projects. Students advanced from 20 campus science fairs to compete at the district level, representing elementary and secondary schools across Tomball ISD. All students who presented at the fair received a certificate and ribbon in recognition of their hard work and dedication to scientific inquiry.

Elementary Division (Grades 3–5)

Comparative Category

Compare data from different groups to find similarities and differences

• 1st Place: Malena Ruiz-Scazzino (5th grade) and Savannah Hill (5th grade), Creekview Elementary — Creating Clean Energy

• 2nd Place: Kennedy Mullins (5th grade), Oakcrest Intermediate — The Battle of the Best Detergent

• 3rd Place: Hank Richter (3rd grade), Creekview Elementary— Which WOOD You Choose?

Descriptive Category

Describe national phenomena through observation, measurement, and research

• 1st Place: Arya Rathi (3rd grade), Creekside Forest Elementary — The Case of the Missing Colors

• 2nd Place: William Schrock (5th grade), Oakcrest Intermediate — Power Up and Cool Down Using a Peltier Module

• 3rd Place: Joshua Shyju, Krishay Tapar, and Shourya Dodlety (5th grade), Oakcrest Intermediate — Flowing Water Rising Electricity

Experimental Category

Test cause and effect relationships by changing and testing a single variable against a control

• 1st Place: Ameyaa Urs (3rd grade), Creekside Forest Elementary — Bird Buffet: The Color Challenge

• 2nd Place: Ellis Unser (4th grade), Timber Creek Elementary — Taking a Bite of Climate Change

• 3rd Place: Shreyan Sanyal (5th grade), Creekside Forest Elementary — The Race Against Rust

Engineering Category

Implementing an engineering design process to solve a real world problem or meet a need

• 1st Place: Bayler Pledger (4th grade), Decker Prairie Elementary — Keeping Pets Cool in the Heat

• 2nd Place: Ayan Kale (5th grade), Creekside Forest Elementary — The Walking Cane

Secondary Division (Grades 6–12)

Science Category

Using the scientific method to answer a question or explore a phenomenon

• 1st Place: John Lezama (12th grade), Tomball High School — Utilizing Grand Conical Monte Carlo Simulations to Identify Optimal Zeolites in Carbon Capture

• 2nd Place: Riya Singhal (9th grade), Tomball Memorial High School — UricA! In Silico Screening to In Vitro Validation of Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors

• 3rd Place: Taanya Virigineni (10th grade), Tomball Star Academy — Dual Targeted Nanoparticle Based Immunotherapy for Endometriosis

Engineering Category

Implementing an engineering design process to solve a real world problem or meet a need

• 1st Place: Arav Mehta (12th grade), Tomball High School — An Eye-Controlled Wheelchair: Design of a Novel Human-Computer Interface (HCI) for Patients with Motor Neuron Disease

• 2nd Place: Reyansh Gupta (8th grade), Willow Wood Junior High — Implementing a Hybrid CNN-Transmitter Model for ASL Fingerspelling Translation

• 3rd Place: Idhika Sadasivuni (6th grade), Oakcrest Intermediate — Smart School Crossing System

Secondary students who earned qualifying placements are eligible to advance to the Science and Engineering Fair of Houston (SEFH), scheduled for February 13–14, 2026.

The Tomball ISD District Science Fair reflects the District’s continued commitment to STEM education and providing students with opportunities to explore real-world challenges through research, experimentation, and engineering design.

ABOUT TOMBALL ISD
Tomball ISD educates students to become responsible, productive citizens by providing innovative, individually rigorous, and personally valuable educational experiences. Founded in 1908, Tomball ISD now encompasses 83 square miles in northwest Harris County and southwest Montgomery County, and is located approximately 30 miles from downtown Houston. The district currently educates over 23,000 students across 25 campuses.