Upper Dublin High School Brings Home High Honors at State Science Fair

Upper Dublin High School (UDHS) students did very well at the 2013 Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science Research State Competition, which took place in State College, during the weekend of May 12- 14.

Out of the 2,279 total student presenters that weekend, 20 UDHS students earned a first place recognition, four of whom were flawless in their presentations, and three received second place awards [see chart below].

In an e-mail correspondence with Upper Dublin Patch, Joanne Lilliendahl, UDHS AP Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science teacher; explained that the students underwent two levels of competition: a Montgomery County regional and the state competitions.

For the competitions, students had to design an experiment in a particular category, which includes a formal proposal with methodology and background research. They must also adhere to what Lilliendahl described as, “real-world scientific steps,” and follow the rules of the International Science and Engineering Fair body.

Students began work early in the school year, completing their project in their free or personal time, and presented their data to volunteer judges, made up of local teachers and professional scientists, at the regional level.

Lilliendahl said that students earning a first-place recognition at the regional level, which took place in February, advanced to the state level. She added that there is no direct competition with other students, and therefore no limit to the number of first place awards. The students’ experiments and presentation are scored by the judges, based on a rubric.

Special Awards

In addition to the outstanding first and second place designations at the state-level competitions, Lilliendahl points to the UDHS students were recognized above the 2,279 presenters that weekend:

• Noah Carver (ninth-grade) received the State Director's award for research in Chemistry

• Ian Snyder (eleventh-grade) received a Penn State Scholarship

• Three of eleventh-grade students received the Pennsylvania Science Talent Search (PSTS) junior award.

• Julie Baldassano, Allen Tang, and Caroline Simon were named three of the top five juniors in the entire state of Pennsylvania.

“It was certainly a proud moment to hear Upper Dublin High School announced three times in a row during the awards ceremony,” Lilliendahl said.

Sandy Run Middle School Regional Competitions

Likewise, students of Sandy Run Middle School also participated in the February regional PJAS competitions. According to Jeanie Kellock, seventh-grade Life Science teacher, 11 students represented the district in the middle school regional competition.

Six earned first place; three earned second; and two earned third place; with seven students participating in the competition for the first time. She added that a majority of participating students achieve a first place designation.

Kellock, who is an Upper Dublin alumna and has taught at Sandy Run since 2001, said that she personally checks over all participating middle school and high school students paperwork and projects, and attends both the regional and state competitions. However, she noted that middle school participants are not eligible to advance to the state competitions.

The following table shows the 23 Upper Dublin High School students who attended the PJAS state competition: