UPDATE | APRIL 16, 2014
In addition to Madhumitha’s success at the WA State Science and Engineering Fair (story below), we also learned that another Cascade View student also placed first in their age division at the competition.
Second grader, Taj Khandekar, won for her project Investigating Solar Energy where she researched different factors affecting the output of solar cells. She concluded that when the temperature was lower, the voltage became higher.
This was Taj’s second year in the competition. In addition to her 1st place trophy she also received the 2014 ‘Bonneville Power Administration Achievement in Energy and Environment Award.’
ORIGINAL STORY | APRIL 15, 2014
In recent years, The Snoqualmie Valley School District (SVSD) has been engaging and pushing for more STEM education in its classrooms. Why? Because according to experts, Washington State is a leading job producer in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math – AKA, STEM.
Madhumitha Gandhi is an example of a SVSD student with a passion for all things science – and proved her merit in a big state competition during Spring Break.
April 4th & 5th at the 2014 Washington State Science and Engineering Fair (WSSEF) in Bremerton, Cascade View Elementary School 3rd 
grader, Madhumitha Gandhi, took home the Junior Division 1st place trophy for her project, Milk Plastic.
It was Madhumitha’s first year of participating in the competition in which she was also the recipient of the special ‘Pacific Science Center – Grades 1-4 Projects of Merit’ award.
The road to the state competition started at home in Snoqualmie, at the Cascade View Science Fair where Madhumitha also took first place when she turned MILK into plastic by experimenting with the chemical reaction between milk and vinegar and crating casein plastic, which is environmentally friendly and biodegradable.
Madhumitha’s father says his daughter’s motivation for the project came from her general love of science, but added that Madhumitha’s 8th grade brother, Shyam, also motivated her in many ways. He said, “She also wanted to try something simple, but cool – then chose this project.”
The Washington Science and Engineering Fair prides itself on promoting “future scientists and engineers” and gave away over $1 million in awards and scholarships last year in that effort.
Congratulations, Madhumitha. Milk into plastic… WOW!
