Division of Air Quality Recognizes Annual AQ-IQ 7th Grade Student Contest Winners

Author: Keith Bamberger

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) celebrated the best student projects from the 2023 -2024 AQ-IQ Contest on Saturday, July 13, 2024, at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer.

The annual AQ-IQ Contest ask seventh grade students to make a project that investigates an air quality challenge and looks for solution to the challenges. The best projects are tools which educate others and inspire a cleaner air future. The projects can be artistic, electronic, posters or videos.

Two 7th grade students pose with their award certificates alongside DAQ staff. — Taylor Hartsfield, Deputy Director of the Division of Air Quality, left, presents the Best Minecraft, Web-based, or Online Project to Alice Teng and Christina Wang, with Keith Bamberger, AQ-IQ Contest Coordinator, right, during the Recognition Ceremony on July 13, 2024.

Winning students’ projects were recognized at the annual Recognition Ceremony, which this year was the first in-person ceremony since 2019. DAQ returned to the Transportation Museum for the event, which offers an opportunity to learn about transportation (currently the largest source of air pollution in the state). The museum is also is in the center of the state. Students came as far away as Asheville, Raleigh, and Topsail Island.

Students, family members, teachers, and DEQ staff post on the Turntable surrounded by The Transportation Museums Roundhouse — After the award ceremony all the project winners, parents and family members, teachers, and DAQ Staff all took a ride on the Turntable surrounded by The Transportation Museums Roundhouse.

2024 Winning AQ-IQ Projects

Watch the full video showcasing the 2024 contest winners at the bottom of this page. To see a complete list of the AQ-IQ Contest winners and links to their projects, visit: https://web.eenorthcarolina.org/resource/about.aspx?s=121764.0.0.37430

The Margie Meares Project

Awarded to the best AQ-IQ project in the state, this award was won by Lilly Yang and Isabella Zou from Davis Drive Middle School for the video project "Wildfires."

Best Artistic Project

Daryna Basiuk from Envision Science Academy with the First Place Certificate for the Artistic Project Ahi's Story.

Best Minecraft, Web-based, or Online Project

Alice Teng and Christina Wang from Davis Drive Middle School with the First Place Certificate for the Minecraft, Web-based, or Online Project PASTEl(ED) Energy Sources.

Best Poster Category

Sasha Medyana from Envision Science Academy with the First Place Certificate for the Poster Project Wildfires and Planned Burns.

Contest Winners - Full Video

A woman dressed in the Smog Queen villian costume at the event — The Smog Queen attempted to crush the spirit of the event ...

A woman dressed in the Air Avenger superhero costume at the event — ... but the Air Avenger helped everyone understand that these students were too smart for the Smog Queen's deceptive ways.