NewRoFoundation

This week, we look at the students preparing for the Second Annual Research Fair.

 

While the New Rochelle High School students in the Science Research Program continue their projects, a younger crop of scientists is preparing for their entry to the competitive circuit.

 

Students in grades 4 through 8 are investigating topics such as meteors, air pollution and antibiotic-resistant bacteria for New Rochelle’s Second Annual Research Fair.

 

Justin Craig, a seventh grader at Albert Leonard Middle School, tapped his interest in physics – and his curiosity about the extinction of the dinosaurs – to devise an experiment concerning meteors. He created a model meteor the size of a tennis ball out of clay. Filling it with different substances, such as copper, aluminum or silver, he drops it from a height of 12 feet to see which version makes the biggest impact in a container of sand.

 

“Silver makes the biggest impact so far, but I’m still analyzing my data,” he said.

 

Craig has gotten help from NRHS senior Rachel Rivera, his mentor. She has helped him decide which materials to try. Rivera is one of the organizers of NR-USE, a group of high school students who are helping the students. In all, about 50 students are involved, including researchers and mentors.

 

The competition was formed last year by the Foundation for Science Research in New Rochelle with a seed grant from the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence. This year, the fair will be conducted virtually, with a final ceremony scheduled for Jan. 23, 2021.

 

The fair is a crucial district-level qualifying step for students to advance to local, state and national competitions such as the TriCounty Science and Technology Fair.

 

Sameen Choudhary and Isabella Beneti, seventh graders at Isaac E. Young Middle School, are studying pollution. Around New Rochelle, they hung cards cut from an orange juice container and coated with Vaseline to catch particulate matter.

 

With advice from their mentor, NRHS senior Sarah Athir, they placed the cards in three diverse areas – Davenport Park, North Avenue a little south of New Rochelle City Hall and Nature Study Woods near the high school.

 

“It turned out better than I thought,” Choudhary said. “As I predicted, the more public area had more pollutants on the card.”

 

Athir is enjoying serving as the mentor for the partners as well as for a fourth grader at William Ward Elementary School.

 

“It’s incredible to see the kids go above and beyond for their projects due to their passion for science,” she said. “I’m excited to see how well everyone is going to perform in the upcoming science fair in January and the science fairs after. More importantly, I’m excited to see how far they’ll get in the future given how great they’re doing in the present.”

 

Rivera added; “Their projects are advanced and well thought out. These are some of the brightest students we’ve met. By participating in the program the students can be ready to continue their STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) path in high school and delve into more complex topics!”

 

ALMS eighth grader Joseph Francois grew his research in 15 petri dishes in an incubator. He added the antibiotic ciprofloxacin to observe the growth of two classes of bacteria – gram negative and gram positive – which affects the bacterium’s ability to develop resistance to the antibiotics.

 

“I first came up with my idea because my dad is a doctor,” he said. “My dream is to become a surgeon. I want to follow in my dad’s profession.”

 

Jeff Wuebber, the head of the Science Research Program at NRHS, said he was proud of the students in the program who volunteered to help the younger students.

 

“I stand in awe at the commitment of our mentor students in their desire to engender the joys of scientific pursuit and discovery in the next generation,” he said. “The fruits of their endeavors will endure long after they graduate, and ensure that New Rochelle becomes a nexus of future STEM leaders.”