Wantagh Senior Published In Scientific Journal For Badminton Research

WANTAGH, NY. — For Wantagh High School senior Analise Keym, the pursuit of the perfect strings for her badminton racquet became scientific, as the varsity badminton player spent a year studying and writing her research study, “Polymer microstructure effects on impact response, frequency dynamics, and vibrational signatures in high-performance badminton racket strings,” published Dec. 5 in the Journal of High School Science.

The study was Keym’s capstone project for her Advanced Placement Research class — part of the Advanced Placement Capstone curriculum — at Wantagh, and included the use of an accelerometer to measure the difference in acceleration between shuttlecocks hit by badminton racquets with three different kinds of strings. The research culminated in a 5,000-word paper and a 20-minute presentation detailing her findings, which Keym said not only filled a gap in existing research, but could help athletes like her in the future make more informed equipment choices.

“There was a gap for me to fill in,” Keym said. “Now I have empirical-based evidence, supporting which ones are best.”

For her efforts, Keym scored a five on her Advanced Placement exam, the highest possible score. According to Heather Naughton, Keym’s AP Research teacher, seeing a Wantagh Student published in a scientific journal is a source of immense pride for a program that’s only 10 years-old.

“Analise is probably one of the most motivated students we’ve had in the 10 years of
this program,” Naughton said. “The quality of the work and the dedication over the year
and a half that she put into her research is exemplary. Analise really is the epitome of the
determination and drive and intellect expected in AP Capstone.”

Keym is the second student in eight AP Capstone cohorts at Wantagh to have her work published, tweaking her writing to satisfy countervailing sets of standards from the college board and the professional journal that ultimately published her work. District officials said the edits, which nearly doubled the length of her written study and expanded on her methodology, took place over the summer and fall.

When she’s not playing varsity badminton or conducting journal-quality scientific research, district officials said Keym is also co-president of the Creative Writing Club, vice president of the Heroes Among Us Club, editor of a creative writing magazine and a mathlete. Upon graduation, she’ll have taken 15 AP classes, never scoring below a three on any of them. She’ll earn an AP Capstone diploma and is pursuing a seal of biliteracy. District officials said Keym is still “in the process of exploring colleges,” undecided on what she’ll study but hoping to continue researching.