R.C. Murphy Junior High wins Long Island Regional Middle School Science Bowl

A team from R.C. Murphy Junior High School in Stony Brook won first place at the 2015 Long Island Regional Middle School Science Bowl.

The squad — Reilly Browne, Mourya Chimpiri, Rohan Nagavardhan, Luke Randall and Keene Lu — outlasted 19 teams from 13 local schools in the annual competition, held last month at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Teams from Commack Middle School and John F. Kennedy Middle School in Port Jefferson Station placed second and third, respectively.

The winning team earned an all-expense-paid trip to the national finals in Washington, D.C., scheduled April 30-May 4. They will vie against winners from 50 other regional events.

"These kids are really on the ball and want to win," coach Patrick McManus said. "All of the team members contributed and rose to the occasion."

The "Jeopardy!"-style bowl, in a fast-paced question-and-answer format, tests teams on science disciplines ranging from life science to Earth science.

Other Long Island schools in the bowl were Albert G. Prodell Middle School in Shoreham, Bellport Middle School, J. Taylor Finley Middle School in Huntington, Lawrence Middle School, Locust Valley Middle School, Longwood Junior High School, Our Lady of the Hamptons Regional Catholic School, William Floyd Middle School in Moriches, William T. Rogers Middle School in Kings Park and Woodmere Middle School.

BAYPORT: St. Baldrick's fundraisers

James Wilson Young Middle School raised more than $19,000 for the St. Baldrick's Foundation through a fundraiser last month in which students, staff and community members shaved their heads in support of cancer patients.

This year's event was held in honor of two current students, who have undergone treatment for osteosarcoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

In addition, Academy Street Elementary School raised more than $2,300 through a St. Baldrick's fundraiser in honor of a second-grader who is undergoing treatment for myoepithelial carcinoma.

UNIONDALE: Show choir finals

Uniondale High School's show choir, Rhythm of the Knight, will compete at the national level in the 2015 FAME Show Choir National Competition, to be held April 24-25 in Waukegan, Illinois.

This is the third consecutive year the show choir, which has 40 choir members and 11 band members, has reached the national finals.

The show choir was third runner-up at last month's qualifying event, held at Lincoln Center in Manhattan. There, they performed Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk," John Legend and Common's "Glory," and Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York."

Twins Kierra and Kionna Stanley, of Uniondale, won the Best Female Stage Presence Award.

ISLANDWIDE: Junior LEGO Expo

Sixty-three Long Island teams participated in the 7th Annual Junior FIRST LEGO League Expo, held over two days at Mineola High School and Longwood High School in Middle Island.

Teams of students, ages 6-9, built LEGO models with a motorized part for a presentation to reviewers.

Local award winners were: The Super Six Brix of Floral Park (Team 3180), GC Fabulous Four of Garden City (Team 1070) and The Enderdragons of Floral Park (Team 3183), Construction Innovation Award; Amazing Creation of Bellmore (Team 2116), Robo Girls of Garden City (Team 2332) and The ROHHRs of Floral Park (Team 3182), Complexity and Decoration Award; Brain Bot Boyz of Floral Park (Team 3176) and LEGO Lovelies of Garden City (Team 2331), Solid-as-a-Rock Model Design Award; Amazing LEGO Creators of Floral Park (Team 3179) and Robo Scouts of Garden City (Team 2330), Effort and Learning Award; Cliffsiders of Garden City (Team 1795), Spirit Award; LEGO Lollipops of Garden City (Team 1372) and LEGO Crew of Garden City (Team 1796), Outstanding Teamwork Award; The Terrific Taco Team of Floral Park (Team 3184), Progressive LEGO Jedis (2) of Merrick (Team 905) and The Ghost Eagles of Garden City (Team 2493), Inquiring Minds Award; Yellow LEGO Light Bulbs of Floral Park (Team 3178), Robust Design Award; Born to Build of Floral Park (Team 3177), Explosive Ideas Award; The Brick Builders of Floral Park (Team 3181), Synergy Award; Brix Chixs of Garden City (Team 2329), Brego Party of Garden City (Team 1371), and Happy Neverending Imagination Warriors (Team 103), Journey Award.