MMI students receive Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) Awards at State Competition

 

(Freeland, PA – May 27, 2015) – Three MMI Preparatory School students participating in the State Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) Competition were awarded Pennsylvania Science Talent Search (PSTS) awards following their performance at the regional meeting.

Sarah Moyer, Jay Solgama, and Mikayla Dove will each receive three letters of recommendation from the Pennsylvania Academy of Science to use in their college applications.

Moyer is the daughter of Robert and Susan Moyer, Bowmanstown; Solgama is the son of Paresh and Arti Solgama, Mountaintop; and Dove is the daughter of Eric and Susan Dove, Mountaintop.

To qualify, the students had to submit their transcripts or resume and participate in an interview at the regional meeting, and also finish in first place during the regional competition.

A total of 33 MMI students in the upper and middle schools competed in the state event. Ali Aijaz received a perfect score in math and also finished first in biochemistry, while Gabby Kupsho and Ani Chowdhury each posted a perfect score. Kupsho also won an Excellence Award.

Additional first-place finishers were: Angel Alday, Lauren Babinetz, Abby Paul, Julia Snyder, Dana Carrato, Joey Kress, Megan Marchetti, Libby Pinto, Lois Polashenski, Shaelyn Heft, Claire Sheen, Josh Kalada-Kania, Garrett Kost, Josh Narrow, Jonathan Smith, Nick Young, Tristan Gibbons, Yusuf Ali Qadri, and Jessica McClellan.

Second-place finishers were: Erin Sari, Jessica Smith, Gaby Nunez Becker, Kisan Patel, Nick Carrato, Morgan Long, Alex Sessock, and Lizzie Borchick.

About PA Junior Academy of Science and Science Talent Search

The State Competition of the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science is held each May at The Pennsylvania State University in University Park.  All regional first award winners are eligible to compete at the state level. Approximately 3,000 of the best and brightest science students from Pennsylvania’s thirteen separate PJAS regions descend upon State College each May to present their research.  Students who earned First Awards at their Regional Competitions are eligible to participate in the State Competition.

PSTS tries to identify and recognize outstanding science talent in students who are juniors or seniors in high school. Students may be recognized through award certificates, ceremonies, letters of recommendation, and monetary awards.