We are thrilled to share some incredible news regarding our young scientists and engineers! Last week, students from across the district competed in the 2026 University of Utah Science and Engineering Fair (USEF).

Out of 793 qualifying participants from across the region, our Murray students didn’t just participate—they excelled. From investigating the psychology of eyewitnesses to engineering wildfire alert systems, these students demonstrated the curiosity and rigor that define our district.

2026 USEF Award Winners

Please join us in celebrating the following students for their remarkable achievements:

Top Honors

• 1st Place: Yogi McBride (McMillan Elementary) – SUS SUSPECT? Exploring Potential Biases in Eyewitness Identification

• 2nd Place: Ruby Rubow (Horizon Elementary) – Do Brown Apples Taste Bad? If so, can we slow the browning?

Special Awards & National Qualifications

• ThermoFisher Junior Innovators Challenge (National Qualifier): Yogi McBride & Ruby Rubow

• NASA Earth System Science Award: Milo Patterson (Riverview Jr. High) – Economically Scalable Advance Wildfire Alert System

• USEF Director's Award (Elementary): Kinley Talbot (Longview Elementary) – Ratio Reactions

• Red Butte Garden Excellence in Plant Sciences (1st Place): Oakley Fisher & Savannah Gillis (Longview Elementary)

Scientific Merit Awards - Our students also earned high marks for scientific merit across various categories:

• Behavioral & Social Sciences: Sophia Gardner & Callie Pili (McMillan)

• Chemistry & Biochemistry: Olive Anderson (Viewmont), Atzin Lopez & Johan Gomez (Horizon), Zoya Oyzerskiy (McMillan), Ivy Harding, Kalia Davies & Annabelle Segura (Horizon), Annie Nichols & Charlie Rowberry (Viewmont)

• Physics, Astronomy & Math: Porter Walker & Nolan Jerant (McMillan)

• Plant Sciences: Oakley Fisher & Savannah Gillis (Longview)

Why PTA Support Matters: The Fuel Behind the Science

These achievements are a testament to our students' hard work, but they are also a direct result of the robust support system provided by the Utah and Murray PTAs.

Programs like the Science Fair, Reflections, and various STEM grants are often made possible through PTA funding and volunteer hours. But why does this "extra" programming matter so much?

• Bridging the "Innovation Gap": Research shows that students who participate in competitive science fairs are three times more likely to pursue careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) than those who do not.

• Building Soft Skills: Beyond the data, these programs teach "durable skills." According to the National PTA, students involved in PTA-sponsored enrichment programs show significant gains in public speaking, critical thinking, and emotional resilience.

• Community Investment: When our local PTA sponsors a school-level fair, they aren't just buying tri-fold boards; they are providing a platform for a student to discover a passion that could one day solve global challenges—like the wildfire alert system developed by Riverview’s own Milo Patterson!

A Thank You to Our Community

Successes like these happen when parents, teachers, and community organizations work in tandem. We are so proud of our students for representing Murray with such distinction on the university stage.