Students earn awards at PJAS meeting

SLIPPERY ROCK — Thirty-five schools and 428 students recently participated in the 58th annual Region IX Meeting of the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) at Slippery Rock University.

The meeting stimulated interest and original ideas in science and math. Each student conducted a scientific investigation, organized the information with PowerPoint and presented their findings to a panel of judges.

Students invested weeks and months in research.

Local schools participating were Butler Junior, Intermediate and Senior High Schools; Butler Catholic School; Evangel Heights Christian Academy; Freeport Junior and Senior High Schools; Holy Sepulcher Catholic School; Karns City High School; Mars Senior High School; Seneca Valley Senior High School; and St. Gregory School.

First place winners will participate in the state competition at the Pennsylvania State University in May.

Julie Kasunic, a Knoch High School junior, was a top award winner. She has been offered a $12,000 Slippery Rock University scholarship. Julie’s entry in the computer science category was “Hangman.”

Several SRU academic departments provided cash awards to students from local schools including Jacob Hall of Butler High School in mathematics, Isabella Parks of Freeport Junior High School in mathematics, Julie Cepec of Freeport Senior High School in chemistry and Henry Bartony of Butler Catholic Junior High in biology.

Freeport Junior and Senior High Schools, Holy Sepulcher Catholic School and Seneca Valley High School provided the team results shown below:

The entire team from Freeport won first place awards.

The Freeport High School first place award winners were Brooke Arner, Hayden Bergad, Noah Bowser, Tara Bowser, Julie Cepec, Haley Crosby, Abigail Fuhrman, Drew Kolek, Miheer Lele, Jessica Lincoln, Isabelle Lindsay, Denny Loevlie, Tyler Lucas, Michaela Mattivi, Kaylie McAninch, Thomas Pascucci, Anthony Pignatelli, Sophia Reitz, Nate Shaffer and Katie Zingaro.

The following Freeport High School students received special awards:

Nate Shaffer, Director’s Award, Best High School Physics Project and a perfect score; Brooke Arner, Best High School Zoology Project; and Abigail Fuhrman, Best Intermediate Behavioral Project.

Other special award winners were Noah Bowser, Ernest P. Hull Award for Best High School Ecology Project; Isabelle Lindsay, Most Innovative High School Project; Julie Cepec, Best High School Chemistry Project awarded by the Slippery Rock University chemistry department; and Denny Loevlie, Charles “Chick” Stewart Award.

The following students from Freeport Junior High School received first place awards for their projects: Summer Arner, Liam Dress, Anastazia Herbst, Rebecca Hollobaugh, Sophia Hower, Emily Huff, Abigail Kiffer, David Kinniburgh, Alex Kladny, Eli Lindsay, Isabella Parks, Caitlyn Pascucci, Sydney Pastorek, Rebecca Reese, Lurena Stewart and John Zurisko.

The following Freeport Junior High School students received special awards:

Caitlyn Pascucci, Director’s Award, Best Junior High School Physics Project and a perfect score; David Kinniburgh, Ernest P. Hull Award for Best Junior High School Ecology Project; Isabella Parks, Best Junior High School Math Project awarded by the Slippery Rock University math department; Sydney Pastorek, Most Innovative Junior High School Project and a perfect score; and Abigail Kiffer, a perfect score.

Seventh and eighth grade science classes at Holy Sepulcher Catholic School also participated in the PJAS competition.

The following Holy Sepulcher students received first place awards for their projects: Ryan Connolly, John Ellenberger, Leah Grady, Mary Kate Schratz, Ethan Skinner, Mary Bernardine Torrez, Brigid Smith, Chaney Best, Mark Macri, Maddie Myers, Beatrix Stickney, Tim Roos, Max Wolfe, Jay Macri, Josh Rechenberg, Lauryn Lucatorto, Grace Benkart, Kate Castello, Ben Zock, Emma Pospisil, D.J. Ubinger, Chloe Darrell, Gracie Muth, Shannon Smith and Caravel Losch.

Holy Sepulcher students who received second and third place for their projects were Nora Donnelly, Brianna Magee, Victoria Wilson, Veronica Muth, Veronica Shaffer, Brady Collins, Dennis Cherry and Chloe Erdner.

Josh Rechenberg and D.J. Ubinger achieved perfect scores. Beatrix Stickney received the award for the top Earth and Space Middle School Project. Mary Bernardine Torrez and D.J. Ubinger both received awards for the top Chemistry Middle School Project.

Seneca Valley High School students who received first place PJAS awards were Julia Kooser and Bailey Hixon. Cassidy Friedrich received second place.

More than 15 SRU faculty and more than 60 SRU students were among the 200 volunteers who helped as judges and staff.

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CRANBERRY TWP — Haine Middle School sixth grader Mia Campagna created the winning design for the Superheroes Foundation’s 7th annual run that will be held at North Park in Allegheny County on April 25.

Her design will be featured on all promotional materials including fliers and T-shirts.

The Superheroes Foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises money for abused children. For more information, visit www.pittsburghsuperherorun.org.

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CRANBERRY TWP — Six Haine Middle School students earned top awards at the 2015 Butler County Elementary Student Art Show hosted by the Associated Artists of Butler County.

Winners include Christina Yang, sixth grade, first place in pastels; Brooklyn Beard, sixth grade, first place in ceramics; Allison Buchek, sixth grade, honorable mention in sculpture; Kayla Moon, sixth grade, second place in drawing; Gabby Guerrini, sixth grade, third place in mixed media; and Emily Vlasnik, fifth grade, honorable mention in drawing.