Bellmore and Merrick Gather for Young Scientists' Night

Parents, students, teachers and administrators from Calhoun, Kennedy and Mepham high schools gathered at the Brookside auditorium Monday evening to recognize the work and dedication of the district's top science students. 

On display in the Brookside lobby were posters showing the progress of the students' research on various projects over the school year.

In her opening remarks, Calhoun science department chairperson, Rochelle Battersby, quoted one of the world's most famous scientists on the importance of scientific research, “Einstein said, 'If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?'”

Battersby went on to applaud all of the science students, and their families, for their efforts in developing their research projects during the course of the school year.

Mepham research teacher, Dr. David Kommor, along with Calhoun senior Elise Mead, Kennedy senior Gregory Manis and Mepham senior Bilal Siddiqui, reflected on their experience at this year's Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) n Los Angeles.

The seniors were among 450 other Long Island high school students to attend the fair. Dr. Kommor announced that Bilal's project was selected as one of the “Best in Category” winners for Cellular and Molecular Biology.

Calhoun senior Jenny Wu, Kennedy senior, Joshua Cohen and Mepham junior, Julia Tollin, also presented to the audience the research projects that they spent the school year preparing.

In the second half of the evening, each school awarded their 2011 Science Research Medalists, and inducted the 2011 members of the New York State Science Honor Society. 

2011 Science Research Medalists 

Calhoun High School:

Jeffery Caso, Melissa Dileo, Aaron Fischer, Joshua Golub, Lauren Herschbein, Zoya Huda, Zachary Kronstat, Michelle Marshak, Elise Meade, Leeann Monteverde, Danielle Petrilli, Kacey Solotoff, Brigid Webster, Alex Wolbrom, Jenny Wu.

Kennedy High School:

Joshua Cohen, Bari Fuchs, Matthew Galitto, Hannah Kremer, Amanda Linder, Gregory Manis, Alexa Ravit, Rachel Saltzman, Jennifer Shamah, Darwin Shen. 

Mepham High School:

Owais Alam, Alisa Batcher, Jayme Batcher, Nghi Doan, Thomas Fey, Nicholas Gangi, Lauren Goldman, Irum Hasan, Nehal Koyawala, Sara Kulins, Siddharth Kuncham, Carlo Limborg, Nicholas McCormick, Michael Moneta, Kasey Motley, Mohammad Naqvi, Jennifer Owens, Michael Paccione, Danielle Replogle, Michael Schacher, Kyle Scherer, Brandon Singh, Steven Tsai.

The 2011 NYSSHS Inductees

Calhoun High School:

Samantha Baldauf, Emily Berger, Kelly Bogart, Asia Brown, Matthew Calo, Talia Charidah, Julianne Ciccone, Jonathon Costa, Ryan Goldband, Brian Grambo, Allison Hendrix, Dana Klein, Tara Klein, Anthony Kustas, Daniel Ma, Brigid Maloney, Tyler Mehlman, Connelly Miller, Elan Maduro, Lisa Marino, Preetha Phillips, Nicholas Protan, Jessica Ruggiero, Daniel Saba, David Sack, Kayla Sackler, Kushhali Singh, Kate Valerio, Hayley Yackavage, Jocelyn Yu.

Kennedy High School:

Bryan Applebaum, Michael Berkowitz, Aaron Birnbaum, Ian Breslow, Katie Christoff, Joseph Coppola, Rachel Corwin, Emily Crispino, Lauren Eisner, Eric Fegan, Samantha Feinstein, Alec Ferretti, Kayleigh Friedman, Brian Gimeno, Natalie Giovino, William Goedel, David Greenstein, Ronald Gutman, Nate Herman, Grace Howe, Heather Hulkower, Morgan Katz, Rachel Kessler, Haruka Christina Kido, Kimberly Knoll, Taylor Krug, Jordan Liebman, Christina Maltese, Noy Markel, Michelle Meshnick, Rebecca Pistocchi, Lindsay Rait, Matthew Roberts, Melissa Robinson, Lee Sager, Allison Segal, Heather Spector, Rachel Spector, Kiera Starke, Alex Stern, Rachel Szteinberg, Marc-Mina Tawfik, Nicole Toback, Angela Tsataranis, Jessica Tucciarone, Jessica Weiner, Victoria Yegelwel. 

Mepham High School:

Genevieve Dakota Balunis, Charles Bendernagel, Tejas Bhgat, Corryn Chaimowitz, Ryan Chand, Connor Day, Zachary Dean, Thuan Doan, Lydia Gallant, Connor Garet, Nicholas Giamatteo, Alexandra Giorgos, Brian Hammel, Rida Hashmi, Charisma Karnavar, Masooma Kazmi, Tess Larsen, Patrick Madden, Nicole Madison, Brian Meyers, Brandon Needelman, Kimberly Ponton, Daniel Rozansky, Miguel Shaw, Victoria Sorrentino, Joshua Spiegel, Jonathan Strauss, Corey Wald, Kayla Walsh.