Liberty Students take 1st Place at PJAS States!
Congratulations to Sophomore Grace Daja and Junior Ben Pfefer for securing First Place Awards at the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science State Level competition held at Penn State University, University Park, PA. Sophomore Angela Schray served as Technician for the group. The students traveled with their adviser, Dr. Lisa Draper, to the University Park campus on Sunday, 5/15, competed on Monday, 5/16, and returned to Liberty High School on Tuesday, 5/17.
Grace Daja competed in the Behavioral category with her experiment on “The Search Engine Manipulation Effect” and Ben Pfefer competed in the Microbiology category with his experiment on “How Adjusting the Heat and Concentration of Vaccines Can Expedite Artificial Immunity.” Both students (and their adviser) felt confident that they could earn First Place finishes at this level. The students had planned these experiments beginning in October of 2021, completed the experiments, and prepared presentations for the Regional Competition held at NCC on February 26, 2022. After earning First Places at Regionals, Ben and Grace took the constructive criticisms their local judges offered them and perfected their presentations for state level competition by working on them through March, April, and May.
Grace and Ben each took FIRST PLACE at States!
Thank you to the Liberty High School Science Department, especially Mr. Little, for financially supporting these students at this level of competition. Thank you to Heather Schmidt Luse of the Penn State Bakery who provided a private tour for our students to see the complexities of managing and distributing baked goods throughout the campus and the numerous branch campuses. The students loved taking home hats and baked goods! Finally, huge thanks and appreciation to our Region 3 Director, Karen Iobst and her team who make these opportunities available to our students to implement science inquiry!