June 2025 - Volume 8
Science and Technology Edition
I'm pleased to share the annual Science and Design Technology edition of HCSD Highlights, a celebration of student innovation, inquiry, and achievement across our schools. This year's projects reflect the creativity, commitment, and intellectual curiosity of our students, guided and inspired by the expertise of our dedicated faculty.
Here are just a few of this year’s remarkable accomplishments:
- Junior Chase Ende was named a Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair Finalist, a National STEM Festival Champion, and won 1st place at the New York State Junior Science and Engineering Fair.
- Senior Reese Potash was recognized as a Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar—one of only 300 students nationwide, and one of 17 from Westchester County—honored for original scientific research.
- Valeria Torres, Ohtaro Tanaka, Liam Azar, and Sophia Bondikov ranked in the top 10% at the Upstate Junior Science and Humanities Symposium and presented their research at the Griffiss Observatory.
- Ohtaro Tanaka also won 1st place at the Westchester Science & Engineering Fair, where 17 placed and an additional 26 HHS students were honored with awards.
- 109 students presented their work at Harrison High School’s annual Science Symposium. I encourage you to explore their outstanding and diverse research projects.
- Fourth-grade students and HHS seniors participated together in the 20th Annual Physics Extravaganza, exploring the wonders of physics through engaging, hands-on activities.
- Five LMK Science Olympiad team members earned medals at the New York State Science Olympiad.
- Oviya Gandhi and William Chung won 1st place at the inaugural Westchester Regional Middle School Science & Engineering Fair.
- At the elementary level, students engaged deeply with real-world scientific concepts through the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, with units such as Earth's Energy and Sharing the Planet encouraging inquiry, reflection, and practical application.
Thank you for your continued support of our students and our science programs. Your partnership plays a vital role in fostering a community where curiosity is cultivated and achievement is celebrated.
Sincerely,
Louis N. Wool, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
109 Science Research Students Present at Annual Symposium
A capacity crowd filled the HHS Student Union to celebrate the achievements of 109 Science Research students at the annual Science Research Symposium. Open to students in grades 10 through 12, the Science Research Program provides an opportunity to conduct independent, original research across a wide range of disciplines. Throughout the evening, students presented their projects, fielded questions, and shared insights into their research process and findings. Once again, the symposium was an inspiring evening that showcased the intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity of our student researchers.
HHS SCIENCE research SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM
Chase Ende Among Top Student Scientists in the World, Competes at Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair
Chase has participated in the science research program for two years and will continue his research through next year. He chose to research the Development of a Computational Generative Model to Quantify Binding Affinities and Create Promising Strong-Binding Drug Candidates after a family member struggled with cancer. Chase believed there was inefficacy in the immunotherapy treatments and was motivated to develop research that created “a program that could efficiently design drug molecules capable of strongly targeting specific biological receptors in the body.”
Reese Potash Named Regeneron Scholar
Senior Reese Potash was named a Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar and is among 300 students nationally and 17 in Westchester recognized for original science research. Reese was selected from almost 2,500 applications received across 33 states, Washington D.C., Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Switzerland. Scholars are selected based on their exceptional research skills, commitment to academics, innovative thinking, and promise as scientists.
HHS Students Qualify for Upstate Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, Selected to Present at Griffiss Institute
Four HHS Students, Valeria Torres, Ohtaro Tanaka, Liam Azar, and Sophia Bondikov, were among the top 10% of participants at the highly competitive Upstate Junior Science and Humanities Symposiums (JSHS). JSHS promotes research and experimentation at the high school level and supports student interest in science, technology, engineering and math. The four Harrison High School science research students presented their original STEM research in a forum that includes students from New York State and STEM professionals, and were selected to present and defend their research at the Griffiss Institute.
HHS Science Research Students Post Remarkable Results at Regional & State Competitions
New York State Science & Engineering Fair
HHS Science Research students at NYSSEF (left to right): Samantha Ramirez, Massimo Reali, Yaseen Osman, Liam Azar, Chase Ende
New York State Science & Engineering Fair Awards and Recognition
- 1st Place & ISEF Qualifier: Chase Ende, Computational Biology
- 3rd Place: Yaseen Osman, Biomedical & Health Sciences; Sami Ramirez, Cellular & Molecular Biology
- Honorable Mention: Liam Azar, Physics; Massimo Reali, Biomedical & Health Sciences
Westchester Science & Engineering Fair
Westchester Science & Engineering Fair Awards and Recognition
- 1st Place: Ohtaro Tananka, Animal Sciences
- 2nd Place: Adeena Naeem, Behavior; Reese Potash, Behavior; Beverly Kang, Earth Sciences; Chase Ende, Computational Biology & Bioinformatics; Teddie Stevens, Environmental Sciences; Sophia Bondikov, Medicine & Health Sciences; Massimo Reali, Medicine & Health Sciences
- 3rd Place: Jessie Kritzman, Behavior; Kurato Inaba, Engineering; Julianna Blackman, Medicine & Health Sciences; Simon Modica, Medicine & Health Sciences; Heidi Monke, Medicine & Health Sciences; Yaseen Osman, Medicine & Health Sciences; Emily Salemo, Medicine & Health Sciences
- 4th Place: Martina Marcinkevicius, Medicine & Health Sciences; Liam Azar, Physics & Astronomy
Special Awards
- Kurato Inaba: Creative Approach to Research Award
- Isabel Cross: Visionary Engineering Award
- Nolan Simmons: Visionary Engineering Award
- Matt Carrea: BASF Expanding Knowledge in Science Award
- Ryo Ide: Excellence in Computer Science & Mathematics Award
- Adriana Marraccini: Excellence in Medical Research Award
- Sami Ramirez: Innovations in Biological Sciences Research Award
- Parker Yates: United States Air Force Award
- Elias MacMillan: NASA Earth System Science Award
- Beverly Kang: Association for Women Geoscientists Award
- Sophia Jonisch: American Psychological Association Award
First Year Science Research Students Take Top Honors at Science Fair
Sixty first-year Science Research Students competed at the Somers Science Fair; twenty-five placed at the top of their categories. The fair is an opportunity for first-year science research students to present their research plans in a competitive environment. Students present poster boards of their intended research with proposed plans for implementation. All students who attended worked incredibly hard to prepare and present their work and look forward to continuing their research.
1st Place: Ron Blaustein - Engineering; Cayla Ende - Medicine and Health; Atharv Gandhi - Engineering; Jonathan Hanna - Medicine and Health; Kayli Kyu - Medicine and Health; Isani Mitra - Animal Sciences; Ines Monti Mihanovich - Medicine and Health; Sydney Young - Behavioral Sciences
2nd Place: Stella Artuso - Medicine and Health; Jack Badner - Behavioral Sciences; Emma Cabral - Behavioral Sciences; Valeria Huerta - Behavioral Sciences; Priya Kaji - Microbiology; August Lipple-Smetana - Environmental Sciences; Marissa Lusardi - Behavioral Sciences; Emma Shuli - Animal Sciences; Sophie Wong - Medicine and Health; Fujiko Yamada - Environmental Sciences
3rd Place: Stella Johansson - Environmental Sciences; Kinga Kozyra - Microbiology; Emma Mazzella - Medicine and Health; Bella Smyth - Microbiology; Lily Tse - Medicine and Health; Sasha Weiner - Behavioral Sciences; Bennett Yates - Medicine and Health
Physics Extravaganza: Celebrating 20 Years of Discovery & Hands-on Learning
A look back....to when it all began. Pictures of the Class of 2025 as 4th graders at the Physics Extravaganza!
This year’s Physics Extravaganza once again made physics exciting as IB Physics students welcomed 4th graders from Parsons, Purchase, Preston, and Harrison Avenue Elementary Schools to Harrison High School for a variety of hands-on learning experiences. Now in its 20th year, the extravaganza helps elementary students understand abstract physics concepts through fun, interactive activities. High school students designed and built all the equipment themselves to create memorable, engaging learning opportunities. Many of the seniors leading this year’s event fondly recalled attending the extravaganza as 4th graders, and what ultimately led them to study physics in high school.
HHS Design Technology Students Showcase Innovation & Sustainability
The Design Technology Program at Harrison High School encourages students to explore the design process and bring their ideas to life using a wide range of materials and machinery. From concept to creation, students gain hands-on experience with tools such as CAD software, 3D printers, and woodworking equipment. The impressive student work was displayed at the Design Technology Showcase, featuring a variety of innovative projects. Highlights included architectural house models, intricate wooden cutting boards, balsa wood lanterns, custom desk organizers, and small-scale 3D-printed designs. Also featured were a battery-powered go-kart, a reclaimed wood chair, a coffee table made from a tree trunk, and a phone locker. All projects were built based on original student concepts and designs.
LMK Science Olympiad Team Members Earn Medals at State Competition
The LMK Science Olympiad team competed in 25 events at the New York State Science Olympiad. Five students earned medals - 3rd Place Medal in Scrambler: Edward Caruso, Rohan Mitra; and 6th Place Medal in Experimental Design: Ashley Cho, Robin Barreto, and Oviya Gandhi. Students on the Science Olympiad team meet after school throughout the school year and prepare for competitions by studying topics such as.Dynamic Planet, Optics, and Entomology. The competitions include test-taking and building events such as Tower, Scrambler and Air Trajectory. The LMK team participated in the Lower Hudson Valley regional Science Olympiad and placed among the top 6 teams to qualify for the New York State competition.
LMK Students Earn Awards at Inaugural Westchester Regional Middle School Science & Engineering Fair
Seventeen LMK students presented their science experiments and engineering designs at the inaugural Westchester Regional Middle School Science & Engineering Fair at Edgemont HIgh School. They competed with students from middle schools across Westchester, Rockland and Putnam Counties. In its first year the Westchester Regional Middle School Science & Engineering Fair offers budding researchers the opportunity to explore and showcase their ideas and to develop foundational skills in research and scientific competitions. Nine LMK students received awards. Oviya Gandhi and William Chung placed in the top 10% and were nominated for participation in the ThermoFisher Junior Innovation Challenge that will take place later this year.
Mildred Dresselhaus Award-Materials Science: Ruby Larsen & Radha Creamer
Students Present Original Research at LMK Science and Engineering Fair
Sixth, seventh and eighth grade scientists and engineers presented their original scientific experiments and inventions to a packed room at the LMK Science and Engineering Fair. The LMK Cafeteria A was buzzing as sixty students presented their independent research and discoveries. Projects were innovative and inspiring; our young science protégées shared all they learned. View the Program.
4th Graders Excited to Share Their Learning About Using the Earth's Energy
Fourth grade students at Harrison Avenue, Parsons, Preston and Purchase Elementary Schools experienced a new
International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP) unit, A Study in Responsibility to Planet Earth: Using Earth’s Energy. This transdisciplinary unit included ELA and Science concepts and focused on strengthening students as knowledgeable, reflective, principled and communicative learners through non-fiction text analysis, claim-driven, hands-on experimentation, and writing in response to text. Students followed an inquiry-based approach to learning about energy, its forms, and how it can be used to meet human needs and wants. They reinforced literacy skills by reading several books by Allen Drummond, which provided engaging and accessible entry points for understanding real-world applications of sustainable energy. Students also explored the questions, If humans lessen their use of fossil fuels, can they still meet their needs and wants? What are some solutions?, and learned about renewable and nonrenewable energy sources and the consequence of burning fossil fuels. Students selected and researched an alternative, renewable energy source. and shared their new understanding and recommendations by writing an article published in a class magazine.
An Un-Bee-lievable Science Lesson in Second Grade
