Byram Hills High School has won an AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award, an honor from the College Board that recognizes schools that are closing the gender gap and engaging more girls in computer science.

Byram Hills won the new award for having high female representation in the AP Computer Science Principles course during the last school year, the first time the class was offered at the high school.

“I am thrilled that Byram Hills has been given this honor,” said Lisa Pellegrino, the Byram Hills mathematics chairperson. “This is a testament to the District encouraging students to take risks and become 21st-century leaders.”

The award is given to schools that have either 50 percent or more female representation in one of two AP computer sciences courses or a percentage of girls who took the AP exam for the course that is greater than the school’s female population. Byram Hills met both criteria, with female students representing 65 percent of test takers, according to the College Board.

Out of the more than 18,000 schools that offer AP classes, Byram Hills was one of 490 schools that earned the award for the AP Computer Science Principles class.

This year, 60 percent of students in the class are female.

The course provides an introduction to computer science, with an aim of making the field more accessible. Byram Hills offers a more rigorous version of the course.

“Because of this we are really giving students the knowledge to be successful, should they choose computer science as a major, a minor, or if they just want to take one class in college,” Ms. Pellegrino said.

Students do not need a computer science background to take the course.

“We have artists and business-minded students and scientists who are recognizing the impact and relevance of computer science to their particular field of study,” Ms. Pellegrino said.

“We have students who are just now being exposed to programming but have grabbed onto it and have been able to think at a level I had not achieved until my sophomore year as a computer science major,” she added. “That is what is great about computer science - you can learn so much in such a short period of time.”

The course is already having an effect. Two female students who took the class last year as seniors are now majoring in computer science in college, Ms. Pellegrino said.

“In some respects, they are more successful than their traditional counterparts who have more programming experience because they learned the elements of iterative design and proper debugging of their programs through the AP Computer Science Principles course,” Ms. Pellegrino said. “They also understand more than just one particular programming language.”

“They have been exposed to a variety of different languages and programming environments, and also have an understanding of how those languages fit in with the rest of computer science,” she said.

“The best part of the AP CSP class is that it prepares students not just to study computer science, but provides skills that any student can immediately list on their resume,” Ms. Pellegrino said. “It also provides students with a way of thinking that is applicable to any profession.”

Byram Hills High School’s Joshua Freedman won the top prize and a $2,000 scholarship and Renner Kwittken finished fourth at the Upstate New York Junior Science and Humanities Symposium last week.

The strong finish allows both seniors in the high school’s three-year Authentic Science Research Program to advance to the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in Albuquerque, New Mexico, later this month.

At the regional competition held on March 27 and 28 at the University at Albany, Joshua and Renner were among the six finalists who competed by giving 12-minute presentations on their research. Joshua competed in the biomedical science category; Renner’s work was in the biochemistry category.

“I am very proud of them both,” said Stephanie Greenwald, Director of the Byram Hills Authentic Science Research Program. “They worked extremely hard at articulating complex scientific research so the public can understand the work they’re passionate about. It’s always nice to see more students in the science research program being recognized for their outstanding work.”

Joshua’s research focused on targeting nanoparticles for cancer diagnosis and treatment. His project involved creating a novel targeted anti-cancer nanoparticle that binds to a receptor only expressed in cancer. He found that his nanoparticle specifically bound to cancer cells in vitro. In the future, this could allow doctors to create sharper and more accurate images of tumors.

Renner’s work also involved nanoparticles. The goal of his research was to enhance the delivery of nanoparticles, small medicines that are less than the width of a strand of hair. He synthesized three novel nanoparticles and improved their delivery using a standard FDA-approved chemotherapy drug, cyclophosphamide. His results were found in mice models and could potentially work in clinical trials, moving nanoparticles into the forefront of anti-cancer therapy.

In New Mexico, Joshua will compete with an oral presentation. Renner will be a poster presenter.

Also in Albany, Byram Hills senior Emma Lucchino won third place as a poster presenter. She analyzed the relationship between the bacteria living in our gut and in our immune system
 

Byram Hills High School proudly announces that senior Brent Perlman has won seventh place and a $70,000 award in the renowned Regeneron Science Talent Search for his biological engineering research that involved inducing photosynthesis in human stem cells.

Brent, 17, won the honor Tuesday night at the annual awards gala in Washington, and was one of 10 students to win top prizes. The competition, run by the Society for Science & the Public, bills itself as the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors.

For his research, Brent designed a process to induce photosynthesis in human cells for the first time, which could have applications in the treatment of heart attack, stroke and cancer. He achieved this accomplishment by isolating chloroplasts, the photosynthetic components of plant cells, from baby spinach leaves, and culturing them with human cells.

“I am so honored and excited to have won seventh place in the Regeneron Science Talent Search and cannot thank the Society for Science & the Public and Regeneron enough for this award,” Brent said.

“I plan on putting my $70,000 toward my biological education and research, and am inspired to continue my work with chloroplasts and human photosynthesis,” he added. “With this award, my dream of one day creating impactful chloroplast therapies comes one step closer to reality.”

Deb Cayea, chairperson of the Byram Hills science department, called Brent an extraordinary person and a leader.

“His contributions to the scientific community, as a young scholar, are really, really exceptional,” she said. “I’m so happy his work has been recognized nationally. The universe will benefit from Brent’s talents. He is truly a special person and I’m sure that his passion for science research will continue to manifest in great things.”

Brent’s research involved photosynthesis, the process plants use to produce oxygen and sugar from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. The ability of human cells to photosynthesize allows them to generate oxygen, which they are normally unable to produce. The oxygen produced by these photosynthetic cells promotes healthy tissue and organ development and growth, and can help treat different diseases.

Brent's research also has applications in the engineering of functional organs in a lab, the delivery of biopharmaceuticals to affected human cells in the body and even space travel. Brent, a student in the Byram Hills three-year Authentic Science Research Program, has a patent pending for his work.

“We are all so proud of Brent's accomplishments,” said Stephanie Greenwald, the program’s director. “He is a daring, determined scientist who has been an inspiration to everyone in the program and a constant reminder of the power of combining creativity with curiosity. His success is shared by the Byram Hills Authentic Science Research Program and the whole school community.”

Brent thanked those who helped make his success possible, including his high school teachers and his mentors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

“I am so grateful for my Byram Hills High School Authentic Science Research teachers Mrs. Stephanie Greenwald, Dr. Caroline Matthew, and Mrs. Megan Salomone, for their amazing support and advice over the past three years,” he said. “Without their help, I would never be the researcher that I am today. My mentors, Dr. Glenn Gaudette and Dr. Joshua Gershlak, and my parents also supported me every step of the way.”

In the fall, Brent plans to attend the University of Pennsylvania, where he will study in the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences & Management.

If you lived in an alligator-infested swamp and had to send your children to school way up in the trees, what features would you look for in such a tree school to make sure it was structurally stable and safe from the gators below?

Would you want the school to have a bridge or a ladder or maybe a helicopter to deliver the children and teachers to the classrooms? Would it have support beams or security doors? How about an alligator slapper?

What would students do for fun? Would their tree school have a pool, a marshmallow maker, a pet room or an indoor playground?

These are among the creative solutions that second graders at Coman Hill Elementary School came up with as part of the Tree School Project, which called upon them to work together to design a tree school of their own.

Working in groups of three or four in the Technology Library Center over an eight-week period, students used engineering design steps to brainstorm, plan and conceive a tree school. They learned about architects and studied how treehouses are built.

This enrichment project, new this year at Coman Hill, highlights the use of problem-based learning, an approach that involves students studying a subject and working together to solve a real problem.

As they devised a school and drew their plans on paper with a cutaway view to reveal what was inside, students were practicing the important 21st-century skills and ideas of collaboration, communication, critical thinking and problem solving, creativity and innovation, and community. They also had fun while they designed their school in the sky.

“This project is engaging the students in their learning and making them excited about what they’re learning,” Principal MaryBeth Crupi said. “They are able to problem-solve and work collaboratively with one another. It really empowers our students.”

“Problem-based learning is important because it incorporates the 21st-century learning skills, which are so critical for student success throughout Coman Hill and all of their Byram Hills learning experiences and beyond,” she added. “We’re trying to develop those 21st-century learning skills that are so important throughout life.”

The skills on display during the project also transfer to the rest of students’ lives - in the classroom, at recess and at home with family, Ms. Crupi said. The project, which also incorporated the new Next Generation Science Standards, was conceived and taught by Rekha Singh, the building technology coordinator, and library media specialist, Jane del Villar, who guided the students through the background work and planning.

“What was great about this project was seeing the collaboration,” Mrs. Singh said. “And the creativity of the students was amazing as they worked together to come up with stable and safe ways for students and teachers to get to school.”

At the conclusion of the project, students presented their designs to their classmates, who left feedback by writing on virtual sticky notes on an interactive digital board that displayed the drawings of the schools. The students were asked to pick a school they would send their children to and leave a comment explaining their choice.

“Leaving this kind of feedback is a great way to get students to reflect on their work,” Mrs. del Villar said. Students had fun and learned about teamwork.

Sam Milim said the most important lesson he learned was that “you can’t do all the work yourself.” Caroline Waxman expressed a similar feeling, saying that “you can’t just come up with all the things yourself. You have to talk about it with your group.” She learned how to solve a problem, and when she was finished, she was “proud of myself.”

The project generated excitement for learning. “The whole process was enjoyable and engaging,” Ms. Crupi said. “We want students, especially at this young age, to enjoy learning. We’re setting the tone for all of their years at Byram Hills.”

     Seven seniors at Byram Hills High School were named scholars in the prestigious Regeneron Science Talent Search, an honor that recognizes the high-level, independent research they conducted in the high school’s three-year Authentic Science Research Program.
     The students who earned the distinction were Samantha Abbruzzese, Alan Chang, Rachel Chernoff, Alessandra Colella, Ethan Jacobs, Brent Perlman and Jonah Schwam.

     The students were overjoyed when they learned the news on January 9, hugging and cheering along with their proud teachers. They were among the 300 students selected as scholars from nearly 2,000 entrants. Each scholar was awarded $2,000 and the high school received $14,000 for STEAM education.
     Two weeks later, Byram Hills celebrated again when Brent was named one of 40 finalists who will compete for the top honors in Washington, D.C.

     This year, Byram Hills had the highest number of scholars in Westchester County and the third highest in the state. In the 30 years the school has competed in the Science Talent Search, Byram Hills has had 111 scholars; 20 of them have gone on to become finalists.
     The strong showing reflects the school’s commitment to fostering curiosity and creating new knowledge, Principal Christopher Walsh said.
     “We are incredibly proud of all of our seniors who submitted projects to the Regeneron Science Talent Search,” Mr. Walsh said. “This has been an incredible journey for them and one that cannot be duplicated in many traditional high school courses. These students have all added to the collective knowledge of humanity, which can never be taken away from them. I am so happy for the seven seniors who were named scholars by Regeneron.”
     In March, Brent will travel to the nation’s capital, where he will display his work and undergo a rigorous judging process. The finalists will compete for $1.8 million in awards, with a top prize of $250,000.
     In his biological engineering research, Brent induced photosynthesis in human cells for the first time by isolating chloroplasts, the photosynthetic components of plant cells, from baby spinach leaves. He cultured the chloroplasts with human cells and conducted photosynthesis.
     The ability of human cells to photosynthesize allows them to generate oxygen, which they are normally unable to produce. The oxygen promotes healthy tissue and organ development and growth.
     Brent's research has applications in the engineering of functional organs in a lab; the treatment of heart attacks, strokes, and cancer; the delivery of biopharmaceuticals to affected human cells in the body; and even space travel.
     “Brent is a true scientist,” said Stephanie Greenwald, director of the Byram Hills Dr. Robert Pavlica Authentic Science Research Program. “From the moment I met him he asked thoughtful questions, took enormous risks with his work and did all of this with great kindness and appreciation for those around him. We are all so proud of his accomplishment.”
     Brent is excited to compete as a finalist.
     “It’s thrilling to be recognized by such a prestigious competition, and I am thankful for the opportunity to share my research with such a large audience,” he said. “I’m eager for my work to be displayed in Washington as this recognition increases the chances that its applications could one day help improve the lives of people suffering from a variety of debilitating diseases.”
     Mr. Walsh noted Brent’s dedication to his research, adding: “His work has the potential to have such a huge impact on society and yet he is still as humble as ever. Congratulations to the entire Authentic Science Research Program.”
     The talent search, which is run by Society for Science & the Public, calls itself the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. Winners have gone on to win top science and math honors, including 13 Nobel Prizes and 13 National Medals of Science.

Here’s a look at our other scholars’ work:

Samantha Abbruzzese:  Samantha investigated the development of neurons from a mouse model of Huntington's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder. She determined the impact that different gene-regulating proteins have on these neurons. The findings of her study could be used to develop a therapeutic approach for patients with Huntington's disease.

Alan Chang: Alan’s work focused on understanding how a specific tumor suppressor gene mutation promotes cancer progression, an important step in improving the development of cancer treatments. He programmed a novel computational method of analyzing cells using machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence, and ultimately found several ways in which the tumor grew faster via immune evasion.

Rachel Chernoff: Rachel's novel study used ischemic preconditioning, a research technique that protects the brain from further deterioration during a future stroke by depriving the brain of its blood supply in small amounts for brief periods. She also noticed behavioral differences after ischemic preconditioning between male and female mice, which may point to a hormonal difference. Together, her results lay the groundwork for the use of ischemic preconditioning as a potential preventative technique to reduce the damage from strokes.

Alessandra Colella: Using novel statistical measures, Alessandra investigated if variable responses in neuropsychological tests could be an indicator of the fogginess known as chemo-brain. Her findings could lead to a more accurate way of measuring cognitive decline in cancer patients.

Ethan Jacobs: Ethan mapped the population of river otter, beaver, muskrat, and raccoon species in three rivers in the Northeast. He used a novel method based on environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis to detect excreted DNA in collected water samples. His results help to further develop overall eDNA-based research, provide data for the distribution of mammal species in multiple rivers, and enhance the time and cost efficiency of population mapping methodology.

Jonah Schwam: Duchenne muscular dystrophy, caused by a point mutation on the DMD gene, leads to progressive decay in muscle tissue; however, it remains unknown which muscle cell type is most affected. Jonah used a novel CRISPR gene editing system to create modified muscle tissue consisting of dystrophic mature muscle cells and cured muscle stem cells. This model demonstrated the relative importance of muscle stem cells in regenerating dystrophic muscle tissue, optimizing all future gene therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.