BH-BL High School and Science Research students were recognized for their science research projects at the annual Greater Capital Region Science and Engineering Fair (GCRSEF). This is the regional-level fair of the International Science and Engineering Fair sponsored by Regeneron. Congratulations to the following students for their incredible work, dedication, and success:
Zoe Adams won the Stockholm Junior Water Prize for the best project related to water quality, water resource management, water protection, water treatment or wastewater treatment. Adams may now compete in the state competition!
Simon Rieffel was awarded the STANYS Eleanor Miller Reed Science Research Award for the best project which “captures the spirit of science research” and the U.S. Metric Association Award for the project which involves a significant amount of quantitative measurement and which best uses the SI metric system for those measurements.
Adelynn Redinger was awarded the Regional Ricoh Sustainable Development Award which recognizes the project that best demonstrates outstanding efforts in addressing issues of environmental responsibility and sustainable development. Adelynn also was awarded First Honorable Mention from over 90 projects with an invitation to compete in the the STANYS State Science Congress hosted by the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology (MOST) in Syracuse, NY, June 8, 2025.
The Science Research course, which is an intense, research-based three-year program taught by Regina Reals. This program began 26 years ago when Reals came to the high school and brought her prior experience and knowledge with such a program to BH-BL. The program has evolved over the years and is affiliated with SUNY Albany where students can earn 12 college credits while in high school. Many students who went through this program over the years have gone on to secure medical degrees, Ph.Ds, and professional doctorates.
“This program offers the opportunity for BH-BL students to experience science, technology, engineering and medicine in real-time,” says Reals. “Working alongside professionals in their chosen field, our students collaborate with others, present, and even publish their findings. I wish I had this experience when I was in high school.
This course is all encompassing. Along with conducting high-level research, students must also learn to sharpen other skills, including interpersonal skills needed for communicating and collaborating with their mentors, public speaking skills needed when presenting their research and findings to competition judges, and the writing and communication skills needed to translate their research data findings into written and oral presentations in a format that can be comprehended by those who don’t have the same in depth knowledge that the students have of the subject matter.