Congratulations to the eight Joliet Public Schools District 86 junior high students who qualified and competed in the Illinois Junior Academy of Science (IJAS) Regional Science Fair held recently at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Representing Joliet District 86 school district were: Helen Diaz (Gompers Junior High), Sebastian Duque (Gompers Junior High), Esbayde Gonzalez (Hufford Junior High), Rocco Jones (Washington Academy), Margarito Mojica Martinez (Gompers Junior High), Alexandra Munoz (Gompers Junior High), Arianna Razo (Gompers Junior High), and Joanna Swearengen (Dirksen Junior High).
Over 830 student projects from Illinois were judged. The average score was 80/100. The average score of the District 86’s presentations was 91.6, including six Gold Awards (Helen Diaz, Sebastian Duque, Esbayde Gonzalez, Margarito Mojica Martinez, and Joanna Swearengen) and two perfect scores from Washington Academy seventh-grade student Rocco Jones and Hufford Junior High seventh grader Alexandra Munoz. Rocco Jones and Alexandra Munoz each won a Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Award for their perfect scores on their projects “Salt Bridge Over Electrified Waters” that demonstrated how electricity changes the pH of water (Rocco Jones) and “Are Adults Smarter Than 8th Graders” that challenges adult memory by asking them to take an 8th grade exam (Alexandra Munoz). In addition, Rocco received the IJAS EPIC Award (Exceptional Project in Category) and was recognized by the American Nuclear Society of Chicago with a $100 prize for completing an Exceptional Project in Physics.
"We are absolutely delighted with the success of our State Science Fair qualifiers. These students have shown incredible dedication to STEM and we couldn't be more proud of them for representing both themselves and our school district at the IJAS State Science Fair Exposition,” said Joliet Public Schools District 86 Science and Social Science Program Coordinator Christina Nowak, “The friendships and memories they have formed during this event will be cherished for a lifetime. Their outstanding achievement is a remarkable accomplishment that has set a new record for our school district. We are truly in awe of their accomplishments and want to extend our warmest congratulations to our amazing students!"
The junior high students were recognized at the Joliet Public Schools District 86 Board of School Inspectors board meeting in May for their accomplishments.