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AAUW honorees from the Pennsbury School
District are (back row from left) Cassiday Williams - Math; Katherine
Webb - Science; Melissa Goodwill - Math; Nicole Duffy -Science; Alana
Papula - Science; Priya Crain - Science; Sylvia Biscoveanu - Math; Meghan
Scarpiello - Math; Jessica Zarenkiewicz - Science; Karen Caruso - Science;
Maggie Purcell - Math; and (front row from left) Alissa Johnson - Math;
Julie Haupin - Science; Emily Franko - Math; Lily Frankel - Science; Emma
Wells - Science; Anastasia Tryshkina - Math; Sara Dornblaser - Math
Pennsbury Seventh Graders Honored for Excellence in Math
and Science
With the emphasis on globalization and
the need for American students to focus on studying math and science,
the Makefield Area Branch of the American Association of University Women
(AAUW) recognizes female seventh grade students who excel in these subjects.
Statistics show that not enough American students are studying science
and math and there are certainly not enough females in these academic
areas. To encourage young women to pursue careers in these fields it is
important to recognize their aptitude at a young age when they are impressionable.
The Makefield Area Branch of AAUW holds a Girls' Recognition Reception
at Charles Boehm Middle School each year to honor seventh grade female
students nominated by their teachers for being outstanding in math and/or
science. This year, the reception was sponsored by a grant from Citibank
and funds raised by AAUW. Honorees, their parents, and nominating teachers
along with AAUW members attended on the evening of May 5th. The speakers
included former honorees Caitlin Drummond and Elizabeth Rauh, both seniors
at Pennsbury High School, who shared their plans for furthering their
science and math studies. Their message to the current recipients was
to recognize their parents and teachers as mentors, and realize that the
choices today for women in science and math are tremendous. The keynote
speaker was Dr. Lori Herz, Manager, Process Operations Protein Therapeutics
Development for Bristol-Myers Squibb. Dr. Herz earned her B.S. in Chemical
Engineering from Cornell University and her PhD. in Chemical and Biochemical
Engineering from Rutgers University. She is also a graduate of Charles
Boehm Middle School, so she demonstrated that a hometown girl can be successful
in a very challenging scientific field. Dr. Herz encouraged the girls
to be open to discovering the areas of scientific study that are available
to them and to reach for their desired career, enjoy the challenges and
strive for excellence. The chairpersons for the entire evening were Dr.
Kathy Shaginaw (PhD. Chemistry) and Dr. Eva Miller (PhD. Demography),
accomplished scientists and AAUW members, who were assisted by numerous
members of the Makefield branch. The girls honored were: *Charles Boehm
Middle School, Alana Papula, Priya Crain and Karen Caruso, science; Alissa
Johnson, Cassidy Williams, and Maggie Purcell, math. *William Penn Middle
School, Julie Haupin, Katherine Webb and Jessica Zarenkiewicz, science;
Sylvia Biscoveanu, Emily Franko and Meghan Scarpiello, math. *Pennwood
Middle School, Anastasia Tryshkina, Sara Dornblaser and Melissa Goodwill,
math; Emma Wells, Lily Frankel and Nicole Duffy, science. AAUW is open
to holders of an Associate or higher degree from an accredited college
or university. AAUW's mission is to promote equity for women, positive
societal change, and continuing intellectual growth. For further information
about AAUW visit their website at www.aauwmakefield.org or call 215-369-3500.
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