Maria Regina High School Celebrates Winners of 3rd Annual Science Fair and Symposium
Maria Regina, the renowned all-female Catholic high school, celebrated the winners of the school’s recent, record-breaking 3rd Annual Science Fair and Symposium.
The honorees were among a total of 310 academically top-performing Maria Regina freshmen, sophomores, and juniors—representing an all-new high of 90% student participation—who showcased their critical thinking, creativity, effective communication, and independent learning during the two-day session held at the school’s Hartsdale campus.
“In the first two years of the Science Fair and Symposium, we were so impressed that more than half of the student body enthusiastically pursued the challenge when it was offered to them by the Science Department,” explained Principal Maria Carozza-McCaffrey (Class of ’99), adding: “But that did not prepare us for this year’s dramatic spike in student participation, underscoring the escalating interest Maria Regina students have in pursuing studies in STEM and other sciences which have historically been underrepresented by women. We are on the way to 100% student participation, starting next year.”
And, once again, “the judges had their work cut out for themselves, given the uniformly high degree of college-level scientific inquiry and dedication to addressing real-world topics our incredibly bright, young women proudly demonstrated,” said Reena Varma (P’17), Science Department chairperson and one of the judges who was tasked with assessing the students’ research projects and selecting the winners.
The other judges included members of the administration and acclaimed science and math departments: Principal Carozza-McCaffrey; Karen Lizzo (Class of ‘90), Math Department chairperson; John Graviano, former Maria Regina Science Department Chairperson and faculty member; Valerie Reidy, former Maria Regina Principal and President; Jesse Vandemerlen, Lauren Smatt, Alicia Roche (Class of ‘14) and Michael Mazzuca, Science teachers and Shelagh Amann, Technology teacher.
The winning students were lauded for their research projects addressing a wide range of topics in electrical engineering, environmental sciences, telecommunications, biomedicine, health, nutrition, and rail transportation, among others. Local honorees included:
9th Grade: 1st place: Selah Johnson, White Plains — Does removing trash from a pond increase fish activity and the number of fish coming up to the surface?; 3rd place: (tie): Madalyn Vanbrakle, New Rochelle — How does Weight Affect a Maglev (magnetic levitation) Train’s ability to Levitate?: Jillian Pellegrino, Yonkers — Vitamin C concentration in orange juice
Grade 10: 2nd place: Gabriella Rivera, White Plains — How does different pH effect the color of red cabbage?; 3rd place: Sofia Fernandes, White Plains — How does the difference of ph in liquids affect the corrosion of metal?
Top AP Research-Chemistry: Top Research: Lillian Hinsliff, Scarsdale — Research: The Medical Implications of Red Hair
Maria Regina High School is a Catholic school where young women are encouraged to achieve academic excellence, empowered to be compassionate leaders, and enriched with the Spirit to live a life of Charity, Truth, and Service to others.