Honoring Excellence in STEM: SID Students Receive Awards at Science Fair

Future scientists and innovators in Hamden Hall’s Signature Program: Science, Innovation, & Design took center stage as representatives from both Upper and Middle School presented their independent research projects at the 77^th Connecticut Science and Engineering Fair.

 

The Connecticut Science and Engineering Fair is a yearly, statewide science and engineering fair open to students in Grades 7-12. Twenty-two students submitted projects for consideration with 15 earning finalist status including senior Helena Chaine; juniors Andrei Balas, Linda Chen, Leon Jiang, Neev Makin, Eddie Peng, Barbara Ramirez Moreno, and Sophia Vash; sophomore Frida Ramirez Moreno; freshman Anna Aslan; eighth grader Bella Zhou; and seventh graders Russell Clune, David Esposito, Gabriela Pereira, and Matthew Wallis. Additionally, Andrei, Neev, Barbara, Frida, Russell, and David all earned special awards.

 

"I am extremely proud of our student researchers for carrying on Hamden Hall's tradition of independent scientific inquiry,” said Upper School science teacher and SID Program mentor Dr. Patrick Fitzgerald. “They worked hard to design and conduct their experiments, and their success is well-earned. I would also like to extend my thanks to all of the faculty members who participated as project mentors, for donating their time to this work, and to our student leader, Sophia Vash, for helping to advise her peers."

The students have been advised and mentored by the following faculty members: Upper School science teachers Dr. Patrick Fitzgerald, Dr. Gina D’Angelo, Sarrah Gavin, Daniel Kemp, Jacob Marchesi, and Dr. Kelly Ryan along with Upper School math teacher Robert Link and Middle School math teacher John Scaife.  SID Program Director Dr. Frank Gasparro is remotely working with students on other outside projects. 

Middle School students have now joined the program to develop their scientific knowledge and skills. Under the advisement of Middle School SID Program Director and science teacher Paulomi Aldo, the students prepared for the fair working on their projects over the course of the school year.

“I am really proud of all of them and the risk they took to compete as it can be overwhelming to present to a bunch of strangers,” said Mrs. Aldo. “We had 15 students sign up for the SID program this year, and I think to see so many kids interested in the scientific process is exciting! Their commitment and patience to learning the good and the bad that comes with science is incredible, and it's a great insight to the curiosity they have about the world around them.”

Established during the 2011-2012 academic year with Dr. Frank Gasparro at the helm, the Science, Innovation, & Design program is an interdisciplinary program that allows students to pursue independent research on scientific topics of their interest. Since the fall of 2022, the program has extended to now include Middle School students.