Sophomore students
Maria Regina High School Announces Winners of First-Ever Science Fair
Maria Regina High School announced the winners of the first-ever Science Fair that the renowned all-girls Catholic high school recently presented. The two-day exhibition, held at the school’s iconic Hartsdale campus, showcased 274 scientific topics that the students explored.
The students’ presentations — which demonstrated their critical thinking, innovation and intellectual curiosity — were judged by members of Maria Regina’s science department faculty as well as distinguished alumnae and former Science Department faculty members. Among them are Marisa Mariani, (Class of ’16), Doctor of Physical Therapy and Kristina DiDomizio, (Class of ’11), Physician’s Assistant.
The award winners, grouped by freshman, sophomore and junior-year levels, were:
Freshman: First Place: Adriana Gocaj of Bronx. Identifying the Effects of the Enzyme Invertase on Different Drinks’ Glucose Concentration Levels; Second Place: Fiona Shabaj of Bronx. How do different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide affect plant growth? Honorable Mention: Serafina Mistal of North Salem. How does the amount of sugar in a cake affect how high a cake rises? Honorable Mention: Sophia Smith of Bronx: What is the effect of an ultraviolet light on bacteria growth? Honorable Mention: Julianna Rueger of Bronx. Does Age Affect the Stroop Effect?
Sophomore: First Place: Joanna Cronin of Bronx. How does Color Affect the Taste of a Beverage? Second Place: Keitumetse Rankoe of New Rochelle. Corrode Much; Honorable Mention: Elizabeth Hunt of Yonkers. Frozen in Time; Honorable Mention: Gabriella Ford of Yonkers. Which SPF is most effective in sunscreen?
Junior: First Place: Deanna Johnson of Bronx. The Effects of Artificial Dyes on your Intestines; Second Place: Olivia Maskara of Bronx. Colorful Conclusions; Honorable Mention: Shanzay Bhatti of White Plains. Airplane Logistics; Honorable Mention: Diannalisa Villara of New Rochelle: Rockin’ Radishes; Honorable Mention: Monica Tomas of Hartsdale. Handwriting vs. Typing
Maria Carozza-McCaffrey (’99), Principal, congratulated the winners and all the participants on, “their hard work and amazing achievements. This inaugural Science Fair dramatically underscored the tremendous interest and talent Maria Regina’s students have in the sciences,” adding, “Nearly every student in Grades 9, 10 and 11 accepted the challenge when our Science Department offered it to them and all did so with great enthusiasm and attention to detail.”
Reena Varna (P’17), Chairperson of Maria Regina’s Science Department, noted: “Our students worked very hard on their projects of interest. They have learned to think like scientists, ask relevant questions, research, experiment, and are ready to present their findings.”
She continued, “We are all aware of the underrepresentation of women in the STEM fields and effects of the environment and its influence on the achievement and interest of girls in math and science. Here at Maria Regina, we strive to create a growth mindset among our students, and this science symposium is a step towards that goal.”
To learn more, visit www.mariaregina.org.