BROOKFIELD—This week, young scientists from 120 schools, both middle and high schools, across Connecticut and Fishers Island, New York competed in the 70th Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair (CSEF). About 150 students were selected as finalists, five of whom were from St. Joseph Catholic Academy, Brookfield.
Student, Shaun McKenna, Grade 8, CSEF finalist, was invited to participate in the middle school Broadcom MASTERS, the National Science, Technology, Engineering and Math competition in Washington, D.C. for his experiment titled The Effect of Various Combinations of Materials as Biosand Filters on the Filtration of Fresh Water. McKenna also received the Jackson Laboratory Life Sciences Award, a certificate and $100.00 prize.
Student Liam Teeking, Grade 8, CSEF finalist, received the Environmental Sciences Award from the Connecticut Association of Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commissions and the Excellence in Environmental Conservation Studies award from The Goodwin-Niering Center for the Environment along with a certificate and a $100.00 prize. Liam’s project is titled; How Does the Type of Filter Effect the Amount of Phosphorus Separated from Landscape Runoff?
Student Abigail Cristaudo, Grade 7, CSEF finalist, was also a finalist for the Biotechnology Award. Her project titled; The Effect of Ocean Acidification on Crepidula Fornicata won the Alexion Biotechnology Award and an award from the Association for Women Geoscientists. She received a certificate and $25.00 gift card from the CSEF.
Student David Mitchell Grade 7, CSEF finalist, presented his studies on The Effect of Collector Quantity on Solar Heating and was awarded the Future Sustainability Award and a certificate.
Student Sania Toprani, Grade 8, was recognized by the Yale Peabody Museum for her experiment, The Effect of Fertilizer on Algae Growth. In addition to her recognition award, Sania received six tickets to the Yale Peabody Museum.
Saint Joseph Catholic Academy middle school science teacher, Marde Dimon, shares that “the first week of school this year I began to explain the exceptionally high expectations and prestige of the CSEF to our seventh and eighth-grade students. I challenged them to think about “real world” problems and to design very well controlled projects that lead to “real world” solutions. Our CSEF winners have certainly met and exceeded the challenges and the CSEF expectations.”
The Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair is a yearly, statewide science and engineering fair open to all students in grades 7-12 residing, or enrolled, in Connecticut and Fishers Island schools. The primary objective of the fair is to attract young people to careers in mathematics, science, and engineering while developing critical thinking and public speaking skills. Through their participation in the fair, students are encouraged to pursue independent work using proper research methods. The fair is supported by academic and industrial organizations through the state. The non-profit Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair is a volunteer organization fund that directs funds toward student awards, educational presentations, fair operations, and workshops.
(For more information, visit www.ctsciencefair.org.)
NEWTOWN— St. Rose School 7th Grader Rohan Carey also received multiple awards at the recent Connecticut Science and Engineering Fair held at Quinnipiac for his project, “Does the Shape of an Airplane Affect it’s Speed and Lift?” Last Saturday, Rohan attended the Awards ceremony and here is what he won:
- 2nd Place 7th Grade Physical Science Award (trophy) – $200 award – each project was either physical science or life science and his was physical science and he won 2nd place in the category from all the projects presented at the fair
- American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics Award – $200 award
- Office of Naval Research – US Navy/US Marine Corps – Middle School Award – $25 gift card
- He was also a Broadcom Masters Nominee – which means he was nominated by the science fair to enter the top middle school science and engineering competition in Washington DC.
Congratulations, students!
