On March 10 Josephina Romero, her teacher Cathy Buchanan and her entire class were surprised with a visit from Commissioner Tom Collins, the Mojave Max mascot, Bureau of Land Management District Manager Juan Palma and local Meteorologist Nathan Tannenbaum.  During this visit, it was announced that Romero was the winner of the 2005 Mojave Max Emergence contest!

 Romero, a second grader at Grant Bowler Elementary School, guessed the exact date and time that Mojave Max would emerge this year – which was Feb. 14, 2005, at 11:55 a.m. 

Each year, the Mojave Max Emergence contest brings the school district, county, federal government and community together to learn more about our environment.  This encourages children to study the climate and predict when the desert tortoise at the Red Rock National Conservation Area, named Mojave Max, will emerge for the first time each year. 

“It was great to see the children so excited about the contest, our local weather and our environment,” said Commissioner Collins.  “It was even better that a student from my district won the contest!”

More than 5,000 students entered the Mojave Max Emergence Contest and attempted to predict when Mojave Max would emerge from his winter’s brumation (the reptilian form of hibernation).

Romero and her entire class received the grand prize: a field trip for Romero and her entire class to Mojave Max's habitat at the Red Rock National Conservation Area and a class pizza party, which will take place on May 12.  

Romero and her class also received Adventuredome passes, Mojave Max Olympic-style medals and Mojave Max t-shirts. Buchanan, Romero’s teacher, will receive a new personal computer and a giant traveling trophy will be awarded to the school for one year.