Students Advance to Regional Science Fair

About to reach for a pain reliever? You might want to check out Amanda Zajac’s research first.

For the past three years, the sophomore has been looking at how different foods affect absorption of pain relievers. For two years, she studied aspirin. This year, Zajac, the lone MHS entry at the Coriell Science Fair, won first place in the Medicine and Health Category for her study of how different foods affect the absorption of NSAIDs, such as Alleve.

“I wanted to see what foods would speed it up,” said Zajac.

What she found is that caffeine and acid speed it up, while lactaids slow it down.

“People don’t realize the affect foods have on absorption,” she said. “I wanted to see if what I found with aspirin applied to NSAIDs.”

Zajac, who has been competing in the Coriell Science Fair since sixth grade, advances to the Delaware Valley Science Fair April 5-7. Last year, she placed first in the Health and Medicine category at the Delaware Valley Science Fair. She also received special awards from the Parenteral Drug Association Delaware Valley Chapter and the Philadelphia Drug Exchange.

Zajac said being exposed to commercials about pain relievers gave her the idea to pursue her project. She created a model of a stomach and used apple juice to act as the enzymes and acids found in stomach. She then tested the NSAIDs with different foods–pretzels, chips, white and wheat bread–and different liquids–coffee, orange juice and milk–to see which items would absorb the medicines the quickest.

In addition to Zajac, students from both the and the competed at the Coriell Science Fair.

The following middle school students won awards. First-, second- and third-place winners move onto the Delaware Valley Science Fair.

Behavioral and Social Sciences: Marlee Warwick, Third Place

Consumer Science: Jaya Mallela, Second Place

Medicine and Health: Iman Khan, Honorable Mention

Microbiology: Michelle Quien, Third Place

Team Projects: Andrew Edzenga and Ryan Graham, Second Place

Other students who participated from WAMS: Kevin Ho, Jessica Mui, Caitlyn McBride, Hannah Wolfram and Neil Mookerjee.

The following UES students placed in the 6th-8th grade categories at the fair: 
Engineering:  Reeves Balderson, First Place; David Blatcher, Honorable Mention 
Environmental Science:  Sierra Wallace, Third Place 
Medicine & Health:  Rohil Mediratta, Second Place; Katie Jin- Third Place 
Physics: Jeffrey Scott, Honorable Mention 
Zoology: Karla Peterson, Third Place 
Team Projects: Julia Graham and Megan Finelli, First Place; Anais Maasland and Andrea Fong, Honorable Mention

In addition, Reeves Balderson won the Best Physical Science Award, which included a $200 U.S. Savings Bond. He also received recognition for outstanding comprehension of solar energy from Solar Works NJ.

Julia Graham and Megan Finelli won the Dr.Lewis L. Coriell Best of Fair Award for outstanding perseverance and cleverness in the design of the experimental approach to a research problem. Each student won a $500 U.S. Savings Bond.

Jaxon Atkinson, Mila DeFelicis, Jack Miller, Sarah Rovins, Daniel Schultz, Kevin Fox, Jeffery Fitzpatrick, Thomas Begley, Giuliana Trinchieri and Olivia Richardson also participated in the fair.