Mystic Valley School Notes

[Editor’s note: The following releases were provided by Mystic Valley Regional Charter School.]

The Mystic Valley Regional Charter School recently held its annual Fifth and Sixth Grade Science Fair. All of the students in each grade competed and winners were chosen from each grade and an overall winner.

The winners of the “Einstein Award” for best overall project were fifth graders Hannah DiGiovanni, Lauren Maher & Karen Mortimer.

The Fifth grade awards went to Omar Alani, first place, Frederick Russell second and Ashley Sullivan third. Honorable Mention was given to Tama Coelin, Jeffrey Mei and Kylie DiMaro.

The Sixth grade winners were first place Dante Goss & Alexandru Teodorescu, second place Emily Nguyen & Jesse Orton and third place Veronica Drahos & Talia Cutille. Honorable Mention was given to Gabriella Gimas & Brooke Proto, Ashley Buggy & Kiara Awunti and Kassandra Julce & Gabrielle Farnkoff.

On Saturday March 19, the Mystic Valley Science Club participated in the Massachusetts Science Olympiad which took place at Framingham State College and for the second year in a row, a team from Mystic Valley finished with a medal.

Sophomores Kayla Mei and Jackie Lane took third place in the Forensics competition where students had to demonstrate knowledge in Qualitative Chemical Identification, Polymer and Hair Analysis, Chromatography and Crime Scene Physical Evidence (such as DNA and Fingerprint). Other science team members, Ariana Mirzakashani, Corinne Kelly and Rachel Tortora also competed and finished in good standing in their corresponding events. 

The Science Olympiad is a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of K-12 science education, increasing male, female and minority interest in science, creating a technologically literate workforce and providing recognition for outstanding achievement by both students and teachers. The first annual Science Olympiad National Tournament was hosted by Michigan State University in May 1985, with 17 states participating.

Currently in 2011, there are 6,000 secondary schools from 49 states participating, with an additional 10,000 elementary schools holding Science Olympiad tournaments or hands-on events. Mystic Valley is part of 40 Massachusetts schools that compete in this competition annually.