NHS Students Present Junior/Senior Projects

By Eliza Hallabeck

Students in Newtown High School’s Junior/Senior Project course concluded the semester by presenting their completed independent projects before judges, teachers, and visitors to the school either on May 31, June 1, or June 2.

Each semester the high school offers students the chance to undertake a self-directed project, under the guidance of course overseers Peg Ragaini, Angela Pennucci, and Kristen Hardy. The Junior/Senior Project course has students work with a mentor to investigate their own chosen project , which is then required to be presented before a panel of volunteer judges.

As one of the presenters Wednesday, June 1, Lisa Ferrari explained her project was to write a piece of fiction. She read a portion of The Silent Humming for the audience before her in the Lecture Hall. After reading the excerpt, Lisa explained taking the Junior/Senior Project course helped her develop a sense of organization.

With the guidance of her mentor, NHS English teacher Kathy Swift, Lisa worked through writing The Silent Humming.

Another presenter Wednesday was Nikita Srivastava, who worked with a mentor who also took the Junior/Senior Project course while a student at NHS, Steve Danyew, a composer now living in Boston.

Following the presentation, Nikita said Michelle Hiscavitch, head of the Newtown Schools Music Department, first told her to contact Mr Danyew regarding her interest is writing a musical composition for a band or wind ensemble for her Junior/Senior Project.

“I had done the senior project in 2002, so I think they thought I could come back and take it full circle,” said Mr Danyew, who traveled to the area for the event.

Mr Danyew said he loved having the opportunity to come back and give to the school that influenced him.

“I definitely learned a lot,” said Nikita. She continued speaking to her mentor, “I am really thankful for you helping me.”

After hearing Nikita’s composition for the first time at the event, Mr Danyew said it came out great.

“Nikita has a really bright future ahead of her, maybe some day she will be mentoring me,” Mr Danyew said.

The full list of students, their mentors, and completed projects for this semester are: Maximilian Schmitt, Nina Kadan-Lottick of Yale New Haven Hospital, cancer therapy research paper; Abigail Johnson, NHS Assistant Principal Jason Hiruo, a scholarship project; Marian Blawie, George Benson, Newtown director of Planning and Land Use, “Newtown’s Water: Geology, Aquifers and Protection”; Kyra Middeleer, Michael Obre, the art department head at Danbury High School, “Escaping to the Arts, to Teach”; Nicole DeFelice, Trent Harrison, NHS science teacher, “Tropical Marine Ecosystem in a 45-Gallon Tank.”

Also, Nikita Srivastava, Steve Danyew, a composer, “Tales of a Deolate Sailor (Composition for Band)”; Alexander LaCrose, Roseann Capanna-Hodge, an education psychologist and neurofeedback practitioner, “Neurofeedback Therapy, A Brief History of Neurofeedback Therapy and How it Works”; Lisa Ferrari, Kathy Swift, NHS English teacher, a work of fiction; Palmer Lintz, Lloyd Salisbury of Arrow Aviation LLC, an aviation project; Samantha Baumgart, Ellen Fogle, a screenwriter, “The Wynter Chronicles (Fictional Story),”

Also, Meaghan Davis, Randi Kiely, NHS social studies teacher, “Model UN: Introduction and Lesson Plans”; Shradha Sahani, Victoria Cummings, an independent television producer and write, “What Cancer Can’t Do”; Skylar Bast, Dave Foss, NHS social studies teacher, “The Coverage and the Event: How the News Has Influenced History”; Brandon Hart, Chris Tatalias or HotRod6Strings, building a bass guitar; and Ayesha Ali, Bruce Jacoby, a writer and attorney, to write a fiction novel.

Snacks and beverages were provided for visitors at each night of presentations.