VERO BEACH — One Best-In-Show, one President’s Award, five State bids, ten first place awards, six second place, three third place, over $160,000 in scholarships, and 15 special awards from corporate and government agencies: this IS Saint Edward’s School.
At every level, from 4th grade through 12th, Saint Edward’s students showed that they have the specialized skills and the knowledge to not only plan and perform sophisticated research in the fields of Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Engineering, but to excel in doing so.
Seventh grader Sana Shareef earned the Best-in-Show Award for her Microbiology project in the Indian River Science and Engineering Fair Junior Division. A fellow 7th grader, Stephen Kaiser, won a state bid for his project in Medicine and Health.
His brother, Michael, earned a State bid in the senior division, as did Nishanth Chalasani in Biochemistry and Rohan Sadhwani in Botany.
Out of the hundreds of students who competed in Junior and Senior Divisions, 20 earned State bids and 5 of those were Saint Edward’s School students.
Also earning a first place award was the 9th grade team of Fahad Ahmed, David Stork, and Cole Lipkin competing in the Behavioral and Social Science Senior Division.
Earning the balance of the first place awards were Saint Edward’s Elementary Division 4th grade winners Chloe Secunda, Ross Sams, and Katie Croom, and 5th grade winners Elise Mallon and Olivia Lazorik.
Second Place winners were Nishanth Chalasani in Biochemistry, Rohan Sadhwani in Botany, Payton Cleveland in Environmental Science, Karim Hussamy and Joshua Hurwitz in Medicine and Health, teams Teana Tee and Maya Jenkins, and Lauren Savage and Ellie Huryn, competing in Zoology.
Third Place was awarded to Mary Kathryn Sams in Engineering, Gabby Allen in Zoology, and 4th grader Michaela Miller in the Elementary Division.
“I am so proud of the success of our students this year in the annual Indian River Science and Engineering Fair. It is a culmination of our great faculty, working closely with our students that makes this kind of achievement possible.
The strength of all of our programs directly correlates to the incredible strength of our adults who work directly with the students, and we are blessed with an outstanding professional staff of people at Saint Edward’s School,” said Head of School Mike Mersky.
Special Awards and Scholarships
The John E. Moore President’s Award ($100,) named for Saint Edward’s alum John Moore ’78, was given to Sana Shareef. Additionally, Sana was awarded the top prize from Syngenta ($500,) who also gave an Honorable Mention to 9th grader Rohan Sadhwani.
In addition, Rohan earned the Thinking Outside of the Box Award ($150) and was the recipient of a $54,000 scholarship from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT.)
Junior Michael Kaiser and Freshman Nishanth Chalasani also received FIT scholarships valued at $54,000 each.
The Fair’s Pro Spine Award ($100) was given to Stephen Kaiser. The Florida Water & Pollution Control Operators Association ($100) award went to 7th grader Payton Cleveland.
Fourth Grader Olivia Lazorik won the Emily Salvador Budding Scientist Award ($50) which is named for 2012 Saint Edward’s graduate Emily Salvador who participated in the Science Fair throughout her lower, middle, and upper school years at Saint Edward’s and consistently placed in the top of her division regionally and statewide. Emily now attends MIT.
Freshmen Karim Hussany and Joshua Hurwitz won the Dr. Richard and Dr. Robin Pechter Excellence in Communication Scientific Research Award ($50) which is named for the parents of Saint Edward’s graduates and Science Fair winners: Dr. Joseph Pechter ’00, Dr. William Pechter ’00, both of whom attended Dartmouth College, Dr. Patricia Pechter ’02 who attended Harvard University, and Diana Pechter ’08 who attended Dartmouth.
Other awards included the Broadcom MASTERS Middle School Program bids which were awarded to Omar Shareef, Stephen Kaiser, and Sana Shareef; the Society for In Vitro Biology award to Michael Kaiser; the U.S. Navy Award to Michael Kaiser; the U.S. Metric Association Award to Omar Shareef, and the U.S. Public Health Service Award to Stephen Kaiser.
The complete list of awards by student (listed alphabetically by last name) follows.
Senior Division:
Fahad Ahmed, David Stork, Cole Lipkin: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences 1st Place
Nishanth Chalasani: Biochemistry 2nd Place, State Bid, FIT Award for $54,000
Josh Hurwitz and Karim Hussamy: Medicine and Public Health 2nd Place, Pechter Excellence in Communications Scientific Research Award
Michael Kaiser: Microbiology 1st Place, State Bid, FIT Award for $54,000, Society for In Vitro Biology, US Navy Award
Rohan Sadwhani: Botany 2nd Place, State Bid, FIT Award for $54,000, Syngenta Award $200, Thinking Outside the Box Award $150
Junior Division
Gabby Allen: 3rd Place, Recognition of Scientific Achievement Award $50
Payton Cleveland: Environmental Sciences 2nd Place, The Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association Award
Stephen Kaiser: Medicine and Public Health 1st Place, State Bid, The pro-Spine Award $100, U.S. Public Health Service Award, Broadcom MASTERS Middle School Program
Mary Kathryn Sams: Engineering 3rd Place
Lauren Savage and Ellie Huryn: Zoology 2nd Place
Omar Shareef: Engineering 1st Place, U.S. Metric Association Award, Broadcom MASTERS Middle School Program
Sana Shareef: Microbiology 1st Place, State Bid, Best In Show $100, Syngenta Award $500, Broadcom MASTERS Middle School Program
Tea Tee and Maya Jenkins: Zoology, 2nd Place
Elementary Division
Katie Croom, 1st Place
Olivia Lazorik, 1st Place
Emily Salvador, Budding Scientist Award ($50)
Elise Mallon, 1st Place
Michaela Miller, 3rd Place
Ross Sams, 1st Place
Chloe Secunda, 1st Place
