The Region I Science Fair took place virtually from February 22-25. Students in BRF’s EdVentures programs, including the BioStart Internship Program and the Bobbie Cates Hicks Science and Medicine Academic Research Training Program (SMART), participated. The BioStart program resides in the Biotechnology Magnet Academy at Southwood High School. Southwood won 2^nd place overall at the fair, with Caddo Magnet High School taking 1^st place.

BioStart winners include:

• Nikayla Henderson: 1st place in Biomedical & Health Science
• Eva Callen: 3rd place in Biomedical & Health Science
• Jakavion Pea: 3rd place in Microbiology

SMART winners include:

• Joseph Clary: 1^st place in Biomedical Engineering and 1^st place overall with his project, “Development and Optimization of a 3D Clinostat to Simulate Microgravity”; Qualified for participation in the International Science and Engineering Fair; Caddo Magnet High School
• Prashnu Khanna: 1^st place in Biochemistry; Caddo Magnet High School
• Karleigh Landry: 1^st place in Cellular and Molecular Biology; Parkway High School
• Molly McNulty: 2^nd place in Behavioral and Social Sciences; C.E. Byrd High School
• Eshaan Tandon: 2^nd place in Microbiology; Caddo Magnet High School
• Pooja Veerareddy: 2^nd place in Biomedical and Health Science; Caddo Magnet High School

First and 2^nd place category winners qualify to participate in the Louisiana Science & Engineering Fair.

BioStart and the Biotechnology Magnet Academy were launched in conjunction with the Caddo Parish School Board, LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport (LSUHSCS), LSU Shreveport, participating biotech companies, and Southwood High School. SMART is a partnership among BRF, LSUHSCS, and the Caddo, Bossier and DeSoto parish school boards.