MMI students earn awards at state PJAS competition
(Freeland, PA – May 22, 2014) – Students from MMI Preparatory School earned awards during the state Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science convention held at Penn State University in State College. About 3,000 students from throughout Pennsylvania presented their research during the convention.
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. Students conduct scientific research in one of the 12 scientific categories of research and present their findings to a panel of judges. Students who earned first-place awards at their regional competitions are eligible to participate in the state competition.
Gabriella Kupsho, daughter of Robert and Diane Kupsho, Drums, and Anirban Chowdhury, son of Bhaskar and Saumitri Chowdhury, Hazle Township, earned perfect scores. Chowdhury was also awarded the Director’s Award for Excellence in Junior High Microbiology.
MMI students who received first-place awards were: Yusuf Qadri, son of Syed and Saffiyah Qadri, Drums; Joshua Narrow, son of Howard and Marie Narrow, Hazleton; Jay Solgama, son of Paresh and Arti Solgama, Mountaintop; Annika Fisk, daughter of Douglas Fisk, Conyngham, and Sandra Fisk, Conyngham, for her math project; Emily Morrison, daughter of Michael and Maria Morrison, Sugarloaf; Elijah Dove, son of Eric and Susan Dove, Mountaintop; Joseph Marushin, son of John and Tammy Marushin, Sugarloaf; Claire Sheen, daughter of Kwangsup and Chaeyun Sheen, Mountaintop; Paige Darrow, daughter of John and Gertie Darrow, Hazleton; Sam Sessock, son of Jennifer and James Denion, Freeland, and the late John Sessock; Nicholas Young, son of Christian and Nicole Young, Freeland; Anirban Chowdhury, son of Bhaskar and Saumitri Chowdhury, Hazle Township; Emily Seratch, daughter of Frank and Sarah Seratch, Hazleton; Alexander Haber, son of John and Cathryn Haber, Tresckow; Tristan Gibbons, son of Russell and Edna Gibbons, Mountaintop; Garrett Kost, son of Joseph and Natalie Kost, Freeland; Angelica Alday, daughter of Senen Alday and Milagros Azcueta-Alday, Mountaintop; Lauren Babinetz, daughter of Michael and Patricia Babinetz, Jim Thorpe; Chava Kornblatt, daughter of Joseph and Georgia Kornblatt, Kingston; Gabriella Kupsho, daughter of Robert and Diane Kupsho, Drums; and Julia Snyder, daughter of Christopher and Jill Snyder, Sugarloaf.
Students who received second-place awards were: Erin Sari, daughter of Izzet and Mumine Sari, Sugarloaf; Sarah Moyer, daughter of Robert and Susan Moyer, Bowmanstown; Kisan Patel, son of Dilipkumar and Minaben Patel, Drums; Annika Fisk, daughter of Douglas Fisk, Conyngham, and Sandra Fisk, Conyngham, for her chemistry project; Ryan Eschenbach, son of David and Maureen Eschenbach, Drums; Megan Marchetti, daughter of David and Andrea Marchetti, Freeland; Andrew Alday, son of Senen Alday and Milagros Azcueta-Alday, Mountaintop; Emily Bogansky, daughter of Katherine Balderston, Hazle Township, and David Bogansky, Hazle Township; Victoria Kline, daughter of John and June Kline, Mountaintop; Niklas Byriel, son of Julia Byriel, Mountaintop, and the late Kim Byriel; Shaelyn Heft, daughter of Norman and Judy Heft, Lehighton; Coleman Smith, son of Keith and Laura Smith, White Haven; and Bailey Slusser, daughter of Amy St. Pierre, Sugarloaf, and Christopher Slusser, Sugarloaf.
Michael Mele and Laura Petro supervise the PJAS Club at MMI. Faculty members Susan Moyer, Mary-Lee Hood, Justin Vincent and Gregg Bluth also assisted the students.