Project of Matthew Maciejewski, J.F.K Middle School student was awarded first place in the Sustainable Resources and Practices category at the 67th annual Science and Engineering Fair at Quinnipiac University in Hamden.

Matthew was honored as the finalist for his project, ‘Pore’ My Way to Cleaner Water and received $500 and a trophy for his achievement in the category.

The Capital Area Science and Engineering Fair involved forty-six middle and high schools from several counties in the region. The local middle schools included St. Theresa, Good Shepherd, Eagle View, Greenwood, Bermudian Springs, Camp Hill and Mechanicsburg, along with St. Joseph School, of Mechanicsburg.

The fair’s objective is to attract young people to careers in the science and engineering industry. It also aims to develop critical thinking skills in students. The fair is supported by several academic and industrial organizations throughout the state, with funds directed to the awards, operations and various educational activities.

Eighth-grader Kim Dudding was named grand champion of the Junior Division. She earned a $300 award by finishing first among 175 total projects in the junior field and earning. She was named champion in the Animal Science Category and received a $100 award.

She also earned the Office of Naval Research/US Navy and Marine Corps Award and Medal and earned a Dr. George Hayward Love Sr. Judges’ Award and was nominated to compete in the Broadcom MASTERS Science Fair in Washington, D.C.

Another eighth-grader Emily Ward earned a $150 cash award and was awarded the Pennsylvania Society of Engineers Award for the Junior Division. All seventh-graders, including Hannah Borkenhagen, Jaime Carson, Maria Ferraro and Joseph Geisler, won second-place awards for their projects in their respective categories.