Nineteen of MMI Preparatory School’s 34 competitors placed first in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science state competition at Penn State’s University Park campus. An additional 15 MMI students placed second in the competition.
MMI’s first-place winners were: seventh grader Abigail Sparich; eighth graders Jillian McGeehin, Manal Muhammad, and Jakob Narrow; freshmen Lindsay Horvat, Thomas Mayernik, and Grace Warner; sophomores Louis DeAngelo, Natalie Graham, Aaron Haber, Katherine Lewandowski, Hiba Muhammad, Samantha Sparich, Ella Urosevich, and Darren Zheng; junior Kai Mele; and seniors Nicholas Carrato, Morgan Long, and Zachary Young.
MMI’s second-place winners were: eighth graders Annabel Dobash and Brenna Eckhart; freshmen Amelia Minzola and Dustin Paul; sophomores Marcus Danchision, Noah Long, Jacqueline Snyder, and Alexandra Young; junior Benjamin Putnam; and seniors Elizabeth Borchick, Daniel DeMelfi, Wesley Guarneri, Alexander Kline, Jessica McClellan, and Coleman Smith.
MMI Dean of Academics Justin Vincent and instructors Michael Mele, Melissa McHale, Susan Moyer, and Amanda Shonk served as advisors for the competition.
Elizabeth Borchick is the daughter of Lance and Cynthia Borchick of Drums; Nicholas Carrato is the son of Dr. Anthony and Carmine Carrato of Hazleton; Marcus Danchision is the son of Daniel and Wendy Danchision of Ringtown; Louis DeAngelo is the son of Aaron and Grete Floryshak of Sugarloaf and Louis DeAngelo of Hazle Township; Daniel DeMelfi is the son of Daniel and Esme DeMelfi of Hazleton; Annabel Dobash is the daughter of Dr. Gregory and Atty. Stacey Dobash of Mountaintop; Brenna Eckhart is the daughter of Charles and Kim Eckhart of Lehighton; Natalie Graham is the daughter of Ryan and Heidi Graham of Tamaqua; Wesley Guarneri is the son of Vincent and Sop Guarneri of Wilkes-Barre; Aaron Haber is the son of Dr. John and Cathryn Haber of Tresckow; Lindsay Horvat is the daughter of Thomas and Lisa Horvat of Drums; Alexander Kline is the son of Dr. Gerard and Cathy Kline of Mountaintop; Katherine Lewandowski is the daughter of James and Nancy Lewandowski of Mountaintop; Morgan Long is the son of David and Theresa Long of Mountaintop; Noah Long is the son of David and Theresa Long of Mountaintop; Thomas Mayernick is the son of Thomas Mayernick and Valerie Rudawsk of Freeland; Jessica McClellan is the daughter of Bruce and Particia McClellan of Freeland; Jillian McGeehin is the daughter of Larry and Amy McGeehin of Sugarloaf; Kai Mele is the son of Michael and Laurie Mele of Jim Thorpe; Amelia Minzola is the daughter of Joseph and Debra Minzola of Drums; Hiba Muhammad is the daughter of Ikram and Alia Muhammad of Mountaintop; Manal Muhammad is the daughter of Ikram and Alia Muhammad of Mountaintop; Jakob Narrow is the son of Howard and Marie Narrow of Hazleton; Dustin Paul is the son of Rustin and Cynthia Paul of Jim Thorpe; Benjamin Putnam is the son of Benjamin and Andrea Putnam of Sugarloaf; Coleman Smith is the son of Keith and Laura Smith of White Haven; Jaqueline Snyder is the daughter of Dr. Christopher and Dr. Jill Snyder of Sugarloaf; Abigail Sparich is the daughter of Joseph and Michele Sparich of Weatherly; Samantha Sparich is the daughter of Joseph and Michele Sparich of Weatherly; Ella Urosevich is the daughter of Dr. Thomas and Lori Urosevich of Mountaintop; Grace Warner is the daughter of Stanley B. Warner III of Drums and Heather Warner of Drums; Alexandra Young is the daughter of Christian and Nicole Young of Freeland; Zachary Young is the son of Christian and Nicole Young of Freeland; and Darren Zheng is the son of De and Hongzhi Zheng of Jim Thorpe.
The Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) is a statewide organization of junior and senior high school students designed to stimulate and promote interest in science among its members through the development of research projects and investigations. Students conduct a scientific research project in one of the 12 Scientific Categories of Research identified by PJAS and then orally present that research to a team of judges.
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