What was the formula for winning at the 21st annual Kern County Science Fair held on April 2 at Rabobank Convention Center in Bakersfield? A lot of variables lead to a gold medal, such as testing a theory no one else had, demonstrating keen math and scientific research and data skills and being able to defend your findings in front of a panel of judges. El Tejon School seventh-grader Forrest Csulak discovered one other intangible that contributed to his success — a motivating science teacher. "I never entered before because I was not interested, but my teacher, Andria Bloom really encouraged me," said Csulak. It was a good decision as his first-ever entry, called "Edison's Bright Idea," took first place honors in the Middle School Electricity and Electronics category. He tested light bulbs with filaments made of tungsten, steel, copper, brass, carbon and nichrome. His findings? Tungsten, which has to be imported, stayed lit the longest. Carbon dimmed the quickest, but was also the cheapest, since it does not have to be imported. More