News

On Wednesday, February 26, Newton Country Day held its 31st annual Science and Engineering Fair. Upper School students who participated in Independent Research, along with all students in Grades 7 and 8, presented their projects to judges with backgrounds in science, health, mathematics, and engineering. The panel of judges included NCDS alumnae, faculty, and parents. 

Grade 7 presented projects focused on Biology, Biochemistry, Environmental Science, Geology, and Psychology, applying the scientific method in their research. The following students were recognized for their achievements: 

• First place: “Powered Up Pill Bugs” - Giada Cownie ‘31, Natalie Parker ‘31, and Lily Reece ‘31
   
• Second place: “As Acid Grows, Shells Erode” - MaryKate Connolly ‘31, Kathleen Cullen ‘31, and Madison Ellis ‘31
   
• Third place: “From Sunblock to Pond Life” - Coco Baugh ‘31, Mary Ellen Kasinger ‘31, and Alexia Matheos ‘31
   
• Fourth place: “Glow to Grow: Radishes in the Light Show” - Emma Doyle ‘31, Marian Emans ‘31, and Sophia Geiman ‘31
   
• Fifth place: “Soak It In!” - Emery Foard ‘31, Holly Hinman ‘31, and Ava Kim ‘31

Grade 8 students applied the engineering design process to their projects, emphasizing the evolution of a design through several iterations to achieve their project goals. This year, students also linked their design goals to serving a need emphasized in their Religion 8 class, drawing connections to Catholic Social Justice themes as they developed solutions with real-world impact. The following students were recognized for their achievements: 

• First place: “Ramping It Up” - Lulu Meng ‘30, Charlie Mitchell ‘31, and Milena Rufo ‘31
   
• Second place: “A Warm In-TENT-ion” - Phelan Curry ‘30 and Elizabeth Klein ‘30
   
• Third place: “Sleep-Safe Jacket” - Natasha Jané-Leonardis ‘30, Mena Lee ‘30, and Esther Liu ‘30
   
• Fourth place: “Heel-to-Toe” - Emilie Christian ‘30, Emily Pierce ‘30, and Lyla Viviano ‘30
   
• Fifth place: “Ready Set Safe” - Kate Fradette ‘30, Emory Hassell ‘30, and Aislin Roache ‘30

These students have qualified to present their work at the Regional Science & Engineering Fair on March 7. In addition, the first-place winner from each grade also automatically advances to the State Fair in May.

Upper School students in the Independent Research Program conducted self-directed research in science or engineering. These top five projects qualified for the Regional Fair at Bridgewater State University on Saturday, March 14.

• First place: “Buffering the Burn: Optimizing sodium bicarbonate supplementation to mitigate exercise-induced acidosis” - Catelyn Hickey ‘27 and Jojo Jané-Leonardis ‘27
   
• Second place: “Using a wound-healing model in Drosophila melanogaster to examine plasmatocyte migration and cell division under different microenvironmental conditions” - Erin Bourque ‘27 and Isabelle Martin ‘27
   
• Third place: “The biological and psychological effects of Red 40: A study using Daphnia and student perception” - Meah Cavallo ‘28 and Clare Hooper ‘28
   
• Fourth place: “Effect of eco-friendly binder-to-pigment ratio on paint durability” - Rebecca Chen ‘28 and Diya Giridhar ‘28
   
• Fifth place: “Natural and synthetic antifungal preservatives' efficacy on blue mold in pome fruits” - Samantha Cho ‘29 and Lucy Willett ‘29

The following 5 projects have also qualified for presentation at the Regional Fair:

• “Don't sweat it: Natural vs artificial electrolyte efficiency” - Emily Antonellis ‘28 and Noelle Trull ‘28
   
• “The impact of plastics on the survival, reproduction, and heart rate of Daphnia magna” - Sabrina Dacey ‘29 and Ruari Montague ‘29
   
• “Adaptive iPad mount and case for individuals with motor disabilities” - Cecilia McKeigue ‘27
   
• “Evaluating the environmental health of the Charles River: A focus on recreational boating areas” - Madeleine Milone ‘29, Madeline Sidhom ‘29, and Charlotte Sullivan ‘29
   
• “The scarcity effect: How limited availability messaging impacts consumer buying intent” - Chloe Tranter ‘26 

Dr. Sarah Webster, in her first year as Science and Engineering Fair Coordinator, reflected: “The Science and Engineering Fair is truly a celebration of problem solving, knowledge creation, persistence, courage and confidence. The judges are always impressed with both the students’ depth of understanding of the context of the questions they ask and their ability to articulate how their projects stem from the students’ own interests and passions. Fair day is my favorite day on the academic calendar!”