Howell Middle Schoolers Take 2nd In National Science Contest

HOWELL, NJ — A pair of Howell middle school students have won national recognition after they placed second in a STEM competition, the district said in a news release.

Ruthi Daly and Beata Wolak, seventh-graders at Howell Middle School South, and their teacher, Josh Langenberger, took second in the second annual Bright Schools Competition. The competition is a collaborative effort of the National Sleep Foundation and the National Science Teachers Association and encourages students to explore the correlation between light and sleep and how it influences student health and performance.

Howell South's Dream Team was awarded second place out of 50 national finalist teams. The finalists were chosen from 150 teams made up of nearly 500 students in sixth through eighth grades from 53 schools, the release said. Beata and Ruthi each received a Bright Schools prize package that included a $2,500 cash prize, officials said. Langenberger received a National Finalist banner, a one-year membership to NSTA and an all-expenses-paid trip to an NSTA conference in New Orleans in 2018.

The Dream Team’s winning project, entitled “Illuminated Electronic Impact on Circadian Rhythm,” was an investigation into establishing a relationship between the blue light emitted from electronic devices, specifically in this study a laptop computer, and its impact on student alertness in school the following day, the district said. The study involved research, data collection, analysis and evaluation of a claim. Daly and Wolak then had to submit a written report detailing their project along with a three-minute videoshowcasing their investigation. Langenberger mentored the project. You can read their report here.

Projects were evaluated on the basis of several criteria, including scientific accuracy, innovativeness, and potential impact, officials said.

“The National Sleep Foundation would like to congratulate the finalists on their innovative projects. The Bright Schools Competition has shined a light on the importance of sleep and overall health, and we’re encouraged to see so many students interested in how light directly affects their sleep and academic performance,” said David Cloud, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation.

“The Bright Schools Competition is a celebration of the talent and ingenuity of our youth, providing students with a unique opportunity to think critically while exploring the connection between light and sleep,” said NSTA Executive Director Dr. David Evans. “Congratulations to all of the national finalists for their hard work, enthusiasm, and imaginative ideas.”

The National Sleep Foundation is dedicated to improving health and well-being through sleep education and advocacy; the National Science Teachers Association, with 55,000 science teachers, supervisors, administrators, scientists and others, is the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence in science teaching and learning.

The complete list of the national finalists can be found by clicking here.

Check out Beata and Ruthi's video report here: