On Saturday, January 27, 2024, Taconic Hills hosted the 23rd annual Eastern Sub-Regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS). This was the first time in the Symposium’s history that the event was hosted by a District other than Burnt Hills Ballston Lake.
The Eastern Sub-Regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium brings together regional high school students who have conducted authentic databased research, and submitted their completed research papers for consideration. At the event, these students showcase their hard work through twelve-minute presentations held in ten different rooms, each organized by scientific disciplines. Judges evaluate the presentations and select the top three in each room, with the top two advancing to the regional competition.
Among the presentations, Senior Alexandria Conway stood out with her research on utilizing expressive art, particularly mandalas, to alleviate teachers' stress within our own Taconic Hills CSD. Ali earned third place in her room in the sub-regional symposium, making her an alternate in the regional competition at the University of Albany, which be held February 28-29.
This year, the event boasted over 300 participants, comprised of 21 schools featuring 68 student presentations, support by 26 regional scientist volunteers, and numerous Taconic Hills staff members, students, and their families. A special thanks to John Dodds, Kyle Mattler, Sandra Gardner, Cassandra Kerner, Krystal Perrotti, Lisa Cardillo, and Lynnette Brunger for ensuring the event ran seamlessly.
Looking forward, Taconic Hills embraces the honor and responsibility of becoming the permanent hosts of the Symposium, which draws participation from multiple Upstate NY schools. The selection of Taconic Hills as the new host of the event reflects the excellence of our science research program cultivated over the past decade, the extreme professionalism and commitment demonstrated by Taconic Hills’ Science Research teacher Linda Hopkins, our central location within the Upstate NY region, and the beauty and design of our facility, perfectly suited for hosting an event of this magnitude and complexity.