PRESS RELEASE – On February 24, 2018, twenty-two Indiana Area high school students traveled to Slippery Rock University to compete in the Region Nine Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) fair. Students competed in multiple categories including Engineering, Computer Science, Chemistry, Biological and Social Sciences.
Of the IAHS entries in the science fair, seventeen students earned 1st place awards and the right to attend the state level competition at Penn State University this May.
Included in the 1st awards were two perfect scores by Eliza Ray in Biology and Nathan Birch in Biochemistry. Talia Mastalski’s research was recognized as outstanding by the Region Nine Directors for her work in Engineering while Kharis Bohn received the same recognition for her work in Behavioral Science. Tian Schiera received the Innovation Award for her work in Biology.
The IAHS Science club was founded in 2013 starting with only two students competing and it has grown tremendously in a few short years.
The 2017/18 school year has brought great opportunities for students in the club due in part to a partnership forged last year by Mrs. Emily Hixson, IHS Science teacher, and Dr. Holly Travis of the IUP Biology department. This year students had the opportunity to work in the Social Sciences, Biology, Biochemistry, Botany and Microbiology with IUP Professors.
Besides the upcoming state level competition, students will be participating in the Covestro Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair (PRSEF) at the Carnegie Science Center. If you are interested in seeing their work, students will be presenting to the public at IUP on the evening of April second on the first floor of Weyandt Hall from 4:30 to 5:30 pm.
The club sponsors would like to thank the Indiana School Board, Mr. Wade McElheny, principal IHS, Dr. Deanne Snavely, Dean of the IUP College of Natural Sciences and all of the IUP professors who have and are continuing to support our efforts to mentor tomorrow’s scientists and engineers.
In the back row from L to R: Amelia Kuzneski, Chloe Kocinski, Shane Moran, India Krug, Amna Kasi, Kharis Bohn, Eliza Ray, Hanna Wick, Joey Bujdos, Joshua Mbogo, Matthew Berzonsky, and Xiaorui (Oliver) Xing
In the front row from L to R: Grace Woolslayer, Audra Moore, Madeline Redhead-Kriston, Eman Soliman, Tian Schiera, Maddie Caroff, Raeleigh Smith, Muhsin Wahi-Anwar, Erin Okey, Kathryn Metzger, and Talia Mastalski