Littleton High School Students Compete in State Science & Engineering Fair, Biology Teacher Honored with Educator Excellence Award

LITTLETON — Superintendent Dr. Kelly Clenchy is proud to share that nine Littleton High School (LHS) students recently participated in the Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair (MSEF) at Gillette Stadium, and biology teacher Valerie Finnerty was recognized with the Educator Excellence Award.

On Friday, April 4, nine LHS students traveled to Gillette Stadium for the State MSEF. The fair featured more than 300 projects from high schools across the state.

Littleton students who participated in the fair included:

• Grade 10 students Suma Bhiravarasa and Emma Lu presented their project, “Incorporating Aquaponics into Fish Farms to Increase Efficiency.”
• Grade 10 student Samhita Gowda presented “The effects of Different Molecules on the Regeneration of Planaria.”
• Grade 10 students Lily Graham and Gigi Malvi presented their project, “The Effect of B12 on the Lifespan of Bombyx mori Fed a High-glucose Diet.”
• Grade 11 student Anika Jacob presented her project, “The Effects of Environmental Concentrations of Caffeine on the Neurobehavioral and Neurobiological Development of Zebrafish Embryos.” After receiving a first-place award at the regional fair, Jacob earned a second-place award at the state fair. In the fall, Jacob was selected as a Marjot Foundation Scholar for her project proposal and was awarded a Marjot Foundation grant to use for her project.
• Grade 10 students Lasya Muthyala and Caitlin Stimpson presented “Assessing Ascophyllum nodosum as a Natural Solution for Coastal Erosion Mitigation.”
• Grade 11 student Medha Sri presented “Nutrition and Alzheimer’s Disease: Analyzing the Effect of Fenugreek Extract with and without Turmeric on Amyloid Beta in Alzheimer’s Disease Using Caenorhabditis elegans.”

Biology teacher Valerie Finnerty was honored at the fair with the Educator Excellence Award. As a result, the LHS STEM program will receive $2,000, and Finnerty will receive $500, courtesy of Moderna. 

The award recognizes the dedication and impact of a teacher who helps open doors to opportunity and discovery for their students.

Finnerty ran a middle school-level science fair program for over 20 years and started the STEM Research program at LHS four years ago. From just a couple of students the first year, the program has grown to include more than 25 students in Grades 9-12 who are excited about doing their own research. The program is supported by the district and donations from community members and Takeda Pharmaceuticals.

“I always stress that conducting your own research is about the process and what you learn from the experience, rather than about winning a competition,” said Finnerty. “My favorite part of mentoring student research is seeing their excitement and joy when they figure something out.”

Additionally, Finnerty has trained other teachers and helped them to start their own science fair programs, and serves as a volunteer with both the Region IV Science and Engineering Fair and MSEF.

“This group of students is dedicated to their craft and passion for STEM. It is evident through their countless hours of research, commitment to their projects, and perseverance in the MSEF competitions,” said Superintendent Clenchy. “I congratulate you all on your achievements, including LHS biology teacher Valerie Finnerty on her well-deserved receipt of the Educator Excellence Award!”