SCHA students who participated in the CT science fair included (l to r) Batsheva Lipsker, Chana Piekarski, Esther Caroline, Honey Rogoff, Sophia Ting, Hasassah Katz, SCHA science teacher Karen Howell, Devorah Hodakov, Yehuda Russell and Reuben Melka.

For the fourth consecutive year, students at Southern Connecticut Hebrew Academy (SCHA) in Orange have placed first and second in the annual Connecticut State Science Fair, held March 12-16 at Quinnipiac University. Students were led by their science teacher Karen Howell – a recipient of numerous awards, including the Connecticut Science Teacher Association 2002 Teacher of the Year Award. The first and second place winning students were:

• Batsheva Lipsker and Devora Hodakov, who were among nine SCHA eighth graders to participate in the fair, won the Pfizer Life Sciences First Place Award in the Life Sciences Middle School Team category for their project “Analysis of Arsenic in Food from Natural Produce, Effect on Cell Bioavailability, and Effect of Chelators on Absorption.” In addition to a $100 prize, the girls also took home an invitation to compete at the Broadcom Masters competition. Their project also received the Alexion Biotechnology Fourth Place Award for Biotechnology for eighth grade as well as a special award from the U.S. Air Force. It was named a middle school finalist for the Environmental Sciences Awards of the Connecticut Association of Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commissions (CACIWC).

• SCHA eighth grader Yehudah Russell’s project “Analysis of Allelopathic Effect of Grasses on Common Weeds” won the Pfizer Life Sciences Second Place Award in the Life Sciences 8th grade category. He took home a $200 prize, as well as an Invitation to compete at the Broadcom MASTERS competition. Other SCHA students were also recognized for their innovative projects:

• In the Physical Sciences, Middle School Eighth Grade category, Esther Katz’s project “Comparison of Absorption Rates of Natural vs. Artificial Sugars and Effect of Antioxidant Spice Enhancers on Absorption Rates” was named a finalist in the Dominion Millstone Power Station Physical Sciences Awards.

• In the Physical Sciences, Middle School Teams category, Chana Piekarski and Esther Caroline’s project “Analysis of Fabric Flammability Rates and Effect of Chemical Flame Retardants, versus Effect Natural Flame Retardants” was named a finalist in the Dominion Millstone Power Station Physical Sciences Awards, and also a middle school finalist for the Environmental Sciences Awards with CACIWC.  They also received a prize for a 7-8 grade project from the American Society of Safety Engineers, CT Valley Chapter.

• In the Physical Sciences, Middle School Teams category, Honey Rogoff and Sophia Ting’s project “Effect of Plastic on Food Evaporation, Nutrient Value, Oxidation, and Antioxidant Levels” was named a finalist in the Dominion Millstone Power Station Physical Sciences Awards.

• In the Life Sciences, Eighth Grade category, Ruben Melka’s project “Quantitative Analysis of Nitrate and Phosphate “Runoff” Pollution on Long Island Sound, Marine Life, and Hypoxia” won the First Place Junior Award from Project Oceanology; and the Schoepfer Award for Excellence in Local Aquatic Science.