Sixth Grader Given National Award For Science

By Jeff White

For Newtown Middle School sixth grader Drew Harmata, science has always been a favorite subject, and now he is getting recognition for his talents.

Drew was recently recognized by the United States Achievement Academy (USAA) as a United States National Award Winner in the category of science. According to the USAA, this award “is a prestigious honor very few students can ever hope to attain.” The USAA recognizes fewer than 10 percent of all American students.

“I thought it was great,” Drew said this week, though admitting that he really didn’t know that he had actually won the award; he thought he was just nominated.

Drew was nominated by his science teacher Mr Girard, himself a former USAA winner, along with 11 of his fellow students who comprised the top 15 percent of his class.

A student’s academic performance plays a large part in student selection, says Mr Girard. USAA winners are selected upon the exclusive recommendation of teachers, coaches, counselors, and other qualified sponsors, and upon the standards of selection set forth by the USAA. The criteria for selection are a student’s academic performance, interest and aptitude, leadership qualities, responsibility, enthusiasm, and motivation to learn and improve, among other things.

Other areas where students are recognized are within the subjects of art, band, English, history, government, journalism, and mathematics.

As part of his recognition, Drew will appear in the USAA’s official yearbook, which is published annually.

Drew concedes that he doesn’t really feel like a nationally recognized science student; he is just looking forward to diving into the next unit in Mr Girard’s class: the human body. “I like [learning] about the body,” he says. “We just finished learning about muscles and bones.”

Drew is the son of Mark and Pam Harmata, and the grandson of John and Rosalie Harmata of Mineral, Virginia, and Elden and Jean Fisher of Hendersonville, North Carolina.