Two Ossining High School Juniors Named Finalists for Young Naturalist Awards

Two juniors in the Ossining High School Science Research Program have been chosen as finalists for the American Museum of Natural History’s 2015 Young Naturalists Awards, a research-based competition for students in grades 7 through 12. Kimberly Badger is investigating woodpeckers in various locations in New York City and Soon Il Higashino is researching amphibian decline.

Badger and Il Higashino are among eight national finalists in their grade level. Two winners will be chosen later this year. They will receive $2,000, a night in New York City, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum.

Two other outstanding juniors in the program -- Jennifer Meikle and Kiran Goveas – were chosen as national semifinalists. Meikle is studying the impact of invasive plant species at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx and Goveas is investigating fish evolution at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and in Ossining. There are 22 national semifinalists at their grade level.

This year, there are 98 students the Fundamentals of Science Research program at Ossining High School. Students begin as sophomores and conduct independent research through their senior year.

“It is clearly evident that based on these recognitions the future for the Ossining Research Program remains bright,” said teacher Angelo Piccirillo.