Seneca Valley students excel at state science competition
Seneca Valley PJAS participants
An astounding 14 students earned first-place awards and are now eligible to compete at the state level competition at Penn State University in May.
First Place:
Paige Chesler (7) – How Does Temperature Affect Plants?
Anaya Kandikuppa (7) – Effect of Air Pollution on Plants
Lucia Parise (7) – How Plants Respond to Their Environment – Touch
Cam Swope (8) – How Flywheel Characteristics Affect Energy Conservation
Maryn Zupancic (8) – How Long Do Batteries Really Last?
Maddalyn Beichner (9) – How Does Gray Water Affect Our National Parks? (Perfect Score)
Cruz Sanders (11) – Aquatic Moss and the Pollution of Water
Everly Harrell (11) – The Effect of Host Bacteria on pGLO Plasmid Growth
Abby Huppert (11) – Identifying Radiation Types Using a Cloud Chamber
Mariana Marino Escobar (11) – Classical Conditioning, Hear and Act
Peyton Mounty (11) – Does the Color of Your Dish Affect the Taste of Food?
Mac Wilson (11) – Filter Size Impact on Soil eDNA Extraction and Purification
Teagan Hmel (12) – Using Geneious to Advance Salamander Metabarcoding Studies
YukKwan (Wilson) Li (12) – Using Low-Cost Sensory Device for Assistive Technology
Second Place:
Alyssa Mossor (7) – Coin Composition
Emily Schweitzer (7) – Biology Project
Imogen Culley (10) – When One Choice Leads to Infinity
Ziva Schmitt (11) – Pollinator NGS Metabarcoding
Special awards:
Cam Swope (8) received the Ernst P. Hall Award in Junior High Physics ($25 cash prize) for “How Flywheel Characteristics Affect Energy Conservation.”
Anaya Kandikuppa (7) earned the PJAS Region 9 Director’s Award in Junior High Biochemistry ($30 Staples gift card) for “Effect of Air Pollution on Plants.”
Maddalyn Beichner (9) received the SRU Junior High Biology Award for “How Does Gray Water Affect Our National Parks.” This award included $100 for the student and $200 for her sponsor. She also earned a perfect score on her project.
“I am incredibly proud of these students and the dedication they’ve shown as they invested time outside of class to conduct research, evaluate their results, prepare presentations, and present their projects in front of peers and multiple evaluators — a challenge that requires both courage and discipline,” said Ms. Kelly Weston, Seneca Valley Senior High School AP Chemistry teacher, Science Department Chair and Science Honor Society advisor. “Watching them grow in confidence and take ownership of their work has been incredibly rewarding, and I’m excited to see them represent Seneca Valley at the state competition in May.”
This year’s participation saw increased involvement from Ryan Gloyer Middle School (RGMS), thanks in part to senior Teagan Hmel, who focused her Graduation Project action plan on recruiting and mentoring younger students to participate in authentic scientific research.
All projects were completed outside of regular instructional time, with students independently conducting experiments in the Seneca Valley Biotechnology Center, the RGMS greenhouse, and other approved research spaces at school and at home.
Mrs. Erin Bosley, Mrs. Megan Oldenski, and Mrs. Kelly Weston served as project sponsors and judges at the regional competition.
The Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) is a statewide organization of junior and senior high school students designed to stimulate and promote interest in science among its members through the development of research projects and investigations.