Unionville High School Students Shine at Delaware Valley Science Fair

Out of nearly 1,000 participants in grades six through 12 from the tri-state area, four Unionville High School (UHS) students were honored for their award-winning work in the Delaware Valley Science Fair. Honorees included Prisha Hallur (Second Place in Microbiology), Akshant Kaveti (Second Place in Computer Science), Kush Aggarwal (Honorable Mention in Physics) and Andy Zhang (Honorable Mention in Environmental Science).

Two students, Kaveti and Zhang, also won cash prizes. Kaveti won $100 from Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association International’s (AFCEA) Philadelphia Chapter. Zhang received $400 from the Saint-Gobain Foundation.

As a veteran of the Science Fair circuit, Hallur mentioned, "Competing at this level gives us a sense of accomplishment." Through her project, she studied sequences of plated bacteria to confirm resistance to penicillin. "This research advances our fields of interest and offers insight for future generations."

The other students explored contemporary scientific and societal challenges like the Urban Heat Island Effect and ways to reduce radiation exposure through innovative phone case designs. 

“Our students' ability to pursue their intellectual curiosity with a strong sense of social responsibility speaks volumes about their character,” shared UHS Science Teacher Meghan Kanski. “These students are driven by a desire to contribute to the greater good, which is a fundamental trait of our Portrait of a Graduate.”

Delaware Valley Science Fairs, Inc. was founded in 1949 to ​​increase interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) among middle-school and high-school students in eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and southern New Jersey. To learn more, please visit their website.