Twelve MMI Preparatory School students participated in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science state competition in May on the Penn State Main Campus. Six earned first awards, six won second awards, and one earned an outstanding junior award.

Jessica Zheng of Jim Thorpe earned the Outstanding Junior Award and a first award. Olivia Bartholomew of Jim Thorpe earned a first award.

MMI’s Second Award winners included: Nathaniel Neidlinger of Weatherly and Dustin Paul of Jim Thorpe.

The following earned Perseverance Awards: Dustin Paul, six years of participation; Jessica Zheng, five years of participation; and Olivia Bartholome, four years.

The PJAS competition is open to students in grades 7-12. During the PJAS state competition, students present their first award winning research projects from the regional competition to a varied pane of judges in one of the 13 Scientific Categories of Research identified by PJAS. The categories are: Behavioral psychology, biology, biochemistry, botany, chemistry, computer science, earth and space, ecology, engineering, mathematics, microbiology, physics, and zoology.