Six students from the Westside Middle School Academy STEM program in Danbury took home prizes at the Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair.
The event featuring more than 600 students from 120 middle and high schools across Connecticut and New York was held over the weekend at Quinnipiac University. The 71st annual fair had students competing for more than $200,000 in prizes. Danbury school officials say for the past four years, WSMSA, led by science teacher and theme coach Jon Neuhausel, has been one of the top three middle school in the state in terms of winning entries.
The following eighth-grade students at Westside were selected for excellence:
• Gabriella Brown, seventh grade, "Design, testing, and optimization of Kombucha scoby-based biofilms: 1st Place- Life Sciences 7th grade; Urban School Challenge Awards Middle School Finalist - Medallion; Peer-to-Peer Awards --- 7th Grade Life Sciences; Broadcom MASTERS National Competition Invitation to Apply
• Annabella Jardim, seventh grade, "Good Up High, Bad Near By”: Physical Sciences 7th Grade Medallion; Office of Naval Research- U.S. Navy / U.S. Marine Corps Award
• Sharva Karthikeyan, eighth grade, "Impact of Microwave-irradiated Plastic on Microbiological Health Indices": Urban School Challenge Awards Middle School Finalist - Medallion
• Srishti Ramakrishnan, eighth grade, "The Study of Effectiveness of Different Separation Methods in Removing Suspended Microplastics from Water": Finalist - Physical Sciences 8th Grade - CSF Medallion; Petit Family Foundation Women in Science & Engineering Awards --- 1st Place- Middle School; Urban School Challenge Awards- 1st Place Middle School; Environmental Sciences Awards -- 3rd Place; Urban School Challenge 1st Place Middle School; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award; Talcott Mountain Science Center & Academy --- Founder’s Award; Air and Waste Management Association, Connecticut Chapter Award; GENIUS Olympiad Competition (Oswego, NY) for Highest Placing USC 8th grade Project
• Maria Eduarda Sousa Lopes, seventh grade, "Molecular Health Indices of the Kalmia latifolia": 4th Place- Life Sciences 7th grade; Urban School Challenge Middle School Finalist - Medallion; Biotechnology Awards Finalist; Talcott Mountain Science Center & Academy --- Founder’s Award; Alumni Botany Award; Broadcom MASTERS National Competition Invitation to Apply
• Chase Tomaino, seventh grade, "DIY WiFi Booster": 3rd Place- Physical Sciences 7th Grade; Urban School Challenge --- 3rd Place Middle School; U.S. Air Force Award; Broadcom MASTERS National Competition Invitation to Apply
