Student Scientists Attend PJAS State Competition
Bensalem Township School District students attended the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science State Competition held from May 17 through May 21, 2024, at Penn State University, State College.
Thousands of students from all over Pennsylvania presented their scientific research at this annual competition. These projects are a culmination of months of hard work and dedication.
Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science
Established on March 31, 1934, in Reading, The PJAS is a statewide organization of Junior and Senior high school students and teachers designed to stimulate and promote interest in science through the development of research investigations.
How the PJAS Competition works
The Students give timed oral presentations about their projects after which judges may ask questions during a timed period. Judges then score the students on their individual worksheets after each presentation. The student is rated numerically by their success in each of the 5 independently evaluated criteria.
Later when all students in the unit are finished the judging team returns to the Judging Headquarters to obtain the official tally sheet. On that paper, they will compile their individual scores into a composite average score for each student.
Thirty-four Bensalem High School students competed with sixteen receiving first place awards. They are: Greeshma Annagowni, Heeti Desai, Lucas Ferrandez, Dhruv Gohil, Rishi Jani, Michael Larbi, Anna Marks, Abigail Nanakobi, Chudier Nyak, Aarav Patel, Jeet Patel, Meet Patel, Veer Patel, Snaha Paul, Diya Shah, Princi Shah.
Second Place Award winners are Arya George, Julia Mathews, Isaac Mathieu, Marnaath Nyak, Oluseyi Oduntan, Teni Onilari, Aastha Patel, Aayushi Patel, Aayushi Patel, Diya Patel, Jiya Patel, Vedika Patel, Yash Patel, Eesha Shah, Sanya Shah, Nitasha Sharma, Phoebe Ting. Jhanvi Pathak placed third.
The following BHS students earned Monetary Regional Awards and State Perseverance Awards for 4 + years of participation: Aastha Patel (6), Aayushi Patel (6), Julia Mathews (5), and Diya Shah (4). Gunjan Patel (6), Jiya Patel (5), and Astha Patel (4) received Perseverance Plaques.
The BHS team is sponsored by their advisor Mrs. Lisa Tokmajian. Special thanks to Mr. Chris Sterman for serving as a chaperone.
In the middle school division, fourteen Robert K. Shafer Middle School students participated with eight earning first-place awards. They are Aiden Frank, Benjamin Joy, James Mocarski, Manan Patel, Siya Patel, Nashmia Rana, Abigail Schwartz, and Sean Winters.
The second-place award winners are Nicki Bibeck, Peyton D’Andrea, Joseph Hughes, Divit Kaka, and Hasnain Kazmi. Shiven Patel received a third-place award.
The Shafer Middle School students are sponsored by Mrs. Morgan Golombek.
Four Cecelia Snyder Middle School students attended states. Emily Knight earned a first-place award. The second-place award winners are Patrick Marks, Daniel Mathieu, and Kirtan Patel.
The Snyder Middle School students are sponsored by Miss Kate Liese and Mr. Tom Hoffman.
Congratulations to all the participants!