Molly Nehring and Alyssa Rawinski stand with Loree Harvey, their biology teacher at Monte Vista High School, at the awards ceremony for 68th San Luis Valley Science Fair on Friday night. Along with qualifying for the state competition, Nehring and Rawinski qualify for the international Intel ISEF competition. The competition will be held from May 14-19 in Los Angeles.

Retired science teacher Anitta Frant holds up a flask with a chicken liver and alcohol to show how the reaction fills up the balloon with gas at Carson Auditorium on Friday morning. Frant presented to fourth and fifth grade science fair participants as part of University of Colorado’s Science Discovery program. The chemistry demonstration taught children about combustion, respiration and photosynthesis.

Eight high school students from across the Valley qualified for the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair at the awards ceremony for the 68th San Luis Valley Science Fair on Friday night. From left to right: Monte Vista High School student Michael Santo Savala, Monte Vista High School student Molly Nehring, Alamosa High School student Cassidy Plane, Center High School student Aaliyah Rose Garcia, Sargent High School student Elora Smith, Monte Vista High School student Parker Randolph, Monte Vista High School student Alyssa Rawinski and Sargent High School student Leighton Burt. The state competition will be held from April 6-8 at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.

Nine middle school students from across the San Luis Valley qualified for the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair at the awards ceremony for the 68th San Luis Valley Science Fair on Friday night. From left are: Sara Nehring, Camille Rawinski, Manuel Lucero, Samantha Shelton, Elias Ariedondo, Caleb Riggenbach, Ethan Hotz, Payton Brown and Caleb Rabon. The state competition will be held from April 6-8 at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.