November 2012 Meeting Nets Awards

The November meeting of the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society's Pebble Pups and Earth Science Scholars was one of the best ones yet.  Blake Reher, one of the teen Earth Science Scholars gave a stunning presentations on super volcanoes.  His presentation was followed by a number of awards and accomplishments.

Luke Sattler was awarded the Junior Rock Hound of the Year for 2012 by the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies.  Luke competed with teens in every state of the nation for this award. Luke has submitted an article to the Ute Country News.  It has been accepted for a December publication. The same article will be published in mineralogical society newsletters across the nation.


President of CSMS Roger Pittman presents Luke's Award.
Jeff Shimon photo.


Jack Shimon won a First Place Award from the Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies for a feature article and several ribbons for other articles he authored.  Jack is in the second grade and has been in Pebble Pups for three years.  He brings Comet to each meeting, his dog and our mascot.

Roger Pittman and Steven Veatch, Pebble Pup and Earth
Science Scholar program leader present Jack with his plaque
and many ribbons.  Jack needed a grocery cart to haul all of
his awards to the car.  Jeff Shimon photo.




Zach Sepulveda has written articles and Earth science poetry that has been published in international magazines and more recently he has written a series of articles that have appeared in Ute Country News, a Teller and Park County newspaper.  Zach was also featured in the November issue of Rock and Gem magazine.




Zach Sepulveda is proudly displaying an article about his
accomplishments in the Rock and Gem magazine. Steven Veatch
is holding the October issue of Ute Country News that published
one of Zach's articles. Next to Zach is his mom and their dog
Zada. Photo by Jeff Shimon.

Gavin Noller has been examining and working with an Indian artifact made from a Jurassic dinosaur bone.  The artifact was used to straighten arrows.  Gavin imaged the artifact, researched the artifact, and wrote a newspaper article in the style of what is now known as the "new literary journalism" which borrows heavily from elements of creative nonfiction.  Ute Country News was excited to be able to publish Gavin's article. Gavin's article will also appear in a number of mineralogical and archaeological newsletters across the nation.  Gavin is 12.

Gavin Noller proudly display's his first newspaper article that
he has authored. The Pikes Peak Pebble Pups and Earth Science
Scholars anticipate many more articles about artifacts made of bone
and Earth materials. Photo by Jeff Shimon.

Reed Noller is in 5th grade, and wrote an article on a quartz crystal that he studied, researched, and imaged with a digital microscope.  His article made the front page of the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society's newsletter Pick N Pack. 

Reed Noller plans to continue to build his rock, mineral, fossil,
and gem collection and continue to pursue the literary arts.
Reed is in 5th grade.  Photo by Jeff Shimon.

All of the animals of the Pikes Peak region are hearing the thunder being made from the Pikes Peak Pebble Pups.  The other unit at the Lake George Gem and Mineral Club had an Earth Science Scholar who won first place in an art contest for National Fossil Day sponsored by the National Park Service.