DUBOIS – DuBois Central Catholic will be sending 13 science students and their projects to the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science State Competition in May at the Main Campus of Penn State.
Science instructors, Jenn Graeca and Renee Gressler, stated, “We were happy to have 14 students ready and willing to enter the regional event in Altoona recently, and then to have 13 of them advance to PJAS states shows the knowledge and skill they possess.”
Graeca explains, “For the past three months, students have been perfecting their projects and to have so many advancing to the state level is outstanding for a school our size.”
Gressler adds, “And qualifying for states requires a minimum score of four from the panel of judges scoring each presentation, which is an accomplishment, as well.”
“For sure, we experienced our best year ever,” says Greaca. With 13 out of the 14 students moving on to the state competition, and three of those students receiving a perfect score, Central’s science students were well represented at regionals,’ states Gressler.
In addition, a DCC freshman won the Mickey Maholtz Physics Award, the only recipient of this award at regionals; a senior received the Judges Award; and five students received the Perseverance Award for participating in PJAS for three or more years.
Both Gressler and Graeca state, “The determination of these select students to compete at regionals and then at states actually strengthens our science curriculum and its focus for all students at Central.”