2012 Contest Winners

Elementary School (Grades 3-5)

Kimberly Klink

Grade 5 -(Phoenix, Arizona, United States)

The Life Cycle of the Potato Chip


First Place

Adley Barham

Grade 3 -(Maumelle, Arkansas, United States)

Busy Cows!


Second Place

Brooklyn Denson

Grade 3 -(Valrico, Florida, United States)

Spaghetti Sauce That Tastes Good Because It Is Good


Third Place

Zo Pancoast

Grade 4 -(Berkeley, California, United States)

Engineers of Deliciousness


Honorable Mention

Other Finalists

Apple Sauce: Journey from "Apple" to "Sauce" by Ashna Bansal
Grade 4 -(DePere, Wisconsin, United States)

The Production of Spaghetti Sauce by Josiah Cheng-Guajardo 
Grade 4 -(Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States)

Tools of a Tasty Trade: An Essay about Ice Cream Production and Engineering by Cailley Factor
Grade 4 -(Charleston, South Carolina, United States)

Heaven in a Bowl by Vanessa Ramirez
Grade 5 -(Charlotte, North Carolina, United States)

Spaghetti Sauce by Sarthak Kore
Grade 3 -(Austin, Texas, United States)

The Engineering of Potato Chips by Jay Davis
Grade 5 -(Arvada, Colorado, United States)

From Spuds to Chips by Daren Nerad
Grade 4 -(Hinsdale, Illinois, United States)

The Amazing World of Harry Potato by David Vallejo-Lozano
Grade 3 -(Doral, Florida, United States)

Middle School (Grades 6-8)

Caitlin Coverstone

Grade 7 -(Longview, Texas, United States)

The Chip...An Engineering Wonder


First Place

Calista Kub

Grade 8 -(Littleton, Colorado, United States)

New Ideas, New Technologies


Second Place

Allison Wakeland

Grade 6 -(Hillsboro, Missouri , United States)

Engineering Applesauce


Third Place



Erin Austin

Grade 8 -(Woodbridge, Virginia, United States)

A Potato’s Destiny


Honorable Mention

Ramya Muthurkrishnan

Grade 6 -(West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States)

Potato Chips


Honorable Mention

Other Finalists

Engineers in the World of Peanut Butter Production by Stacey Edmonsond
Grade 7 -(Lee's Summit, Missouri, United States)

The Making of Peanut Butter by Savannah Ney
Grade 8 -(Lutherville , Maryland, United States)

Unraveling the Potential of Technology: Potato Chips by Aditya Venkatesh
Grade 8 -(Monmouth Junction, New Jersey, United States)

Ice Cream by Nonnie Bailey-Jones
Grade 7 -(Baltimore , Maryland, United States)

Peanut Butter: From the Fields to the Pantry by Jennifer Lanuza
Grade 8 -(Littleton , Colorado, United States)

How To Make Potato Chips by Hannah Boardman
Grade 7 -(Winter Park, Florida, United States)

Potato Chips: America's Favorite Snack by Kelsey Halaschak
Grade 7 -(Marco Island, Florida, United States)

The Role of Engineers in the Production of Peanut Butter by Claire Seiler
Grade 8 -(Bowling Green, Ohio, United States)

The Story of a Potato Chip by Reid Sheehan
Grade 7 -(Towson , Maryland, United States)

Ice Cream: A Treat Fit for a King by Shirley Zhang
Grade 8 -(Columbia, Missouri, United States)

High School (Grades 9-12)

Kayla Foyt

Grade 10 -(Wynantskill, New York, United States)

The Production of Applesauce: From the Orchard to the Grocery Store


First Place

Rebecca Phaneuf

Grade 10 -(Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States)

The Engineering of Ice Cream


Second Place

Grace Ying

Grade 11 -(Tallahassee, Florida, United States)

Behind the Applesauce


Third Place



Chet Seaman

Grade 12 -(Panama City, Florida, United States)

From Wheat Seed to Wonder Bread


Honorable Mention

RayLee Peterson

Grade 9 -(Frederick, Maryland, United States)

The Engineering of Applesauce


Honorable Mention

Other Finalists

The Journey of Peanuts in the Peanut Butter Process by Alexis Musso
Grade 12 -(Carrollton, Texas, United States)

Man Cannot Live By Bread; He Must Have Peanut Butter by Carly Mannino
Grade 10 -(Hartsdale , New York, United States)

The Process of "Potato-Chipping" by Chandler Powell
Grade 9 -(Seffner , Florida, United States)

The Complexity of a Simple Dessert by Connie Zhang
Grade 10 -(Dublin , Ohio, United States)

Potato Chips: From the Ground to the Table by Darien Santmyer
Grade 9 -(Lithia , Florida, United States)

Peanut Butter Production by Kelsey Maldonado
Grade 9 -(Plant City, Florida, United States)

Ice Cream: From Cow to Container by Maitreyi Ashok
Grade 9 -(Simi Valley, California, United States)

Sandwich Bread by Megan Wagstaff
Grade 11 -(Kuna , Idaho, United States)

Engineering Applications: Manufacturing of the Potato Chip by Minnika Hoggstrom
Grade 10 -(APO , Armed Forces - Pacific, United States)

Engineering Genuine Gelato by Ravina Hingorani
Grade 11 -(Trumbull , Connecticut, United States)

Peanut Butter: An American Staple by Sarah Long
Grade 11 -(Morganton , North Carolina, United States)

Ice Cream: An Engineer's Role from the Cow to the Counter by Therese Kuhlman
Grade 10 -(Marshalltown , Iowa, United States)

Engineering in Applesauce Production by Tymber Long
Grade 9 -(Lincoln , Nebraska, United States)