Freeport High School's ninth annual Science and Engineering Fair brought together the extensive scientific research that students have been working on this past year in a showcase that felt as though it would be more at home in a research laboratory than in the school gym.
The 48 individual projects spanning 15 categories were clearly the result of intense work by the Freeport students. All projects were graded on a point system by a team of judges who evaluated the presentations displayed, the methods used, the validity of conclusions and the students' fluency in answering relevant questions.
Alanna Gordon won first prize with her research project "Can the polymerase chain reaction be used to determine if the 'cyclin a' gene is present in human epithelial cells?" Over $5,000 was raised through sponsorship and will be apportioned among the list of winners as cash prizes.
Table after table of trifold posters neatly presenting ambitious theorems, data-driven charts and analytic graphs revealed the depth of the student work. The panel of 73 judges assigned to evaluate these projects came from within the ranks of the school district, local accredited colleges and universities, science-related industries and the Village of Freeport.
The following students (in alphabetical order) also won first and second places in their respective categories: Brian Abreu-Tejada, Harold Barnes, Jazmin Blackman, Nicholas Brown, Maria Cruz Orellana, Karolynn Ellis, Alex Gold, Ashley Gomes, Mohdshobair Hussaini, Ashalee Joseph, Sarah King, Jacques Lavaud, Ashley Martin, Milton Martinez, Steven McLeod, Damian Menard, Elizabeth Mulé, Celine Orosco, Jessica Ramos, Yamilex Rodriguez, Lynda Tinglin, Jonathan Valerio, Jasmine Walker, Kourtnee Wallace and Manuela Zuluaga.
The fair challenges students to advance their scientific scope, methodically research and record data, and resolve questions quickly, accurately and efficiently.
