Four Los Gatos Students Recognized for Academic Achievements

Four Los Gatos students were recognized Monday evening by the Los Gatos Town Council for their participation in the Santa Clara Valley Science and Engineering Fair Association's 2012 Synopsys Competition, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair and the California State Science Fair.

The honorees were students Michael Hand, Shira J. Kahn-Samuelson, Hannah Spinner and Sabera Talukder. They participated in the Synopsys Competition in March. They also helped lead the Council in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Michael, 13, is a student at C.T. English Middle School.

Shira, 14, is a student at the Kehilla Jewish High School. She received a first-place award for a project in the behavioral social category. She also received a fourth-place award in the behavioral social sciences junior division at the 2012 California State Science Fair.

Hannah, a junior at Los Gatos High School, was recognized for winning a first-place award in the botany category and a fourth-place award at the 2012 California State Science Fair in the plant/biology category.

Sabera, also a junior at Los Gatos, won first place in the engineering category and was a finalist in the 15-to-16 age category. She is also one of only five in the world, who was a finalist in the Google Science Fair competition.

Los Gatos Mayor Steve Rice, who presented each of the students with a commendation, gave them a special gift wrapped in cups, free one-slice Pizza My Heart coupons from Police Chief Scott Seaman, and congratulated them on their accomplishments.