Science Club Rocks it's First Year

The high school offers a plethora of extracurricular sports and activities, each with its own unique qualities, and opportunities to offer.

The new-found science club, advised by Ms. VanBritsom, and senior Autumn McKenna as its president, is no different. Science club provides a space for those interested in all things science related; whether it’s something like biology or the psychological sciences, to explore, test, observe, and research about it.

This club came to be when Autumn McKenna came to Ms. VanBritsom, explaining her passion and interest in science. She hoped to be able to create a club, with Mr. Lesisko’s permission, that would bring people together in their shared love for the subject.

When asked about her hopes for the club, seeing as she’s a senior now, Autumn stated, “I just hope that the club grows even after I graduate and that we continue to get more members now.”

One of the major projects the club is working towards is the formation of a community garden. This plan was expressed during the club’s first meeting back in October, and it’s been a work in progress ever since.

A coordinated effort has been made to put together a beautiful garden that will serve the school and community for years to come.

People have been broken up into teams to make this happen:

The Hands-On Crew is responsible for watering, fertilizing, and any plant care. They also harvest the crops and move containers, pots, and possibly build the containers if

necessary.

Botanical Research is responsible for researching and compiling lists of what plants are viable for our location and what each plant needs to survive. They must also communicate with other teams regarding supplies, finances, and resources, along with making sure each plant is safe for animals and humans.

Timeline and Planning is responsible for creating a timeline regarding major events, to-do dates, and estimations of when plants will mature and be harvested, as well as communicating with other teams to organize any information that can affect the timeline.

Budgeting and Financial Planning is responsible for assessing the financial requirements of all necessary or optional components of the community garden. They make suggestions to Timeline and Planning regarding what is workable financially, as well as allocating funds and making purchases.

A couple ideas the club came up regarding the garden were selling mums during prom season, and make jams to sell in the cafeteria.

However, the community garden isn’t the only venture science club has explored. As of February 22, 2025, some members of science club participated in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy Science Fair (PJAS), and won first and second place.

Autumn McKenna, Noelanie Sepulveda, and Vanessa Sadler all took home first place, with Ian Walck and Chris Chowaniec taking second. Their respective topics were: Achieving Accessible and Functional Website Design, The Future of Water Quality, Multitasking: Efficient or Exhausting?, The Emotion of School and Scholarships, and Effects of Sleep on Reaction Time.

Congratulations to our participants, and good luck on future endeavors!

-Danielle Harris, Writer