Copiague student earns top honors in New York Science Congress
Walter G. O'Connell Copiague High School freshman Isabella Rufrano earned "highest honors" at this year's New York State Science Congress. Credit: Copiague School District
A Copiague student was one of just two student to earn a "highest honors" designation at this year's New York State Science Congress in Syracuse.
Walter G. O'Connell Copiague High School freshman Isabella Rufrano was one about 150 students from across the state to present research at the annual competition, which featured winners from regional fairs held this spring. Her project was titled "Parental Sex Effects of Fluoxetine-Induced Developmental Outcomes in Drosophila melanogaster."
Forty-four research projects advanced to the state competition after being named winners at this year's Long Island Science Congress, held over a two days this spring at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Uniondale. Manhasset High School led Long Island schools with seven qualifying projects, while the Long Beach school district had the second most with six.
"We are incredibly proud of our students for this outstanding achievement," said Manhasset science research director Alison Huenger. "Having seven projects advance ... is a testament to the dedication, creativity, and perseverance of our young researchers."
This year's Long Island Science Congress featured more than 1,200 individual and group projects from students in grades 7-12. Approximately 4% were named "Most Distinguished" in their category and advanced to the state level.
"The research projects presented by students ... continue to demonstrate growth in sophistication and quality," said Long Island Science Congress President Mary Kroll, who added that participants showcased their "development of advanced skills in problem-solving, collaboration and scientific communication."
Both the Long Island and state competitions were sponsored by the Science Teachers Association of New York State.
OCEANSIDE
Model U.N.
Oceanside High School won the top honor of Best Large Delegation at this year’s Cornell Model United Nations Conference, an annual competition in which more than 600 high schoolers worldwide simulated participation in the global intergovernmental organization. It was held at Cornell University in Ithaca.
The school’s other achievements included receiving five individuals awards for Best Delegate, issued to students Anthony Badalamenti, Christian Carbonaro, Suhaana Masud, Abigail Santiago and Arianna Shamin, according to school officials.
Oceanside sent 29 participants with each competing in committees that challenged them to perform tasks such as simulating the U.N. General Assembly and role-playing the financial crisis of 2008, school officials said.
ROSLYN
LI Math Fair
Students in the Roslyn School District won 34 gold medals — the most of any district on Long Island — at the 2026 Long Island Math Fair. The competition, which attracted a record 740 students from 49 schools, was held at Hofstra University in Uniondale and hosted by the Association of Mathematics Supervisors on Long Island.
To participate, students in grades 7-12 were asked to "submit a research paper and then present their findings to a room of peers and judges," according to the association.
Other top-performing districts and their gold medal totals: Jericho, 31; Herricks in New Hyde Park, 25; Half Hollow Hills in Dix Hills, 23; North Shore in Glen head, 18; Syosset, 17; and Northport-East Northport, 15.
ISLANDWIDE
Essay contest winners
Three Long Island students were first-place winners in the 38th Annual World Food Essay Contest coordinated by Amityville-based nonprofit Stop World Hunger. This year's contest, which received 464 entries from 11 local schools, challenged participants to answer the question: "What are the leading causes of world hunger?"
The winners, their schools and divisions: Christian Ulloa, Trinity Regional School in East Northport, primary division (grades 1-3); Michael Robinson, Sewanhaka High School in Floral Park, junior high division (grades 7-8); and Emily Walsh, Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead (grades 9-12).
Each winning student received a $100 savings bond.
Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.
