BRF’s EdVentures students compete in Region I Science Fair

The Region I Science Fair took place virtually from February 22-25. Students in BRF’s EdVentures programs, including the BioStart Internship Program and the Bobbie Cates Hicks Science and Medicine Academic Research Training Program (SMART), participated. The BioStart program resides in the Biotechnology Magnet Academy at Southwood High School. Southwood won 2nd place overall at the fair, with Caddo Magnet High School taking 1st place.

BioStart winners include:

  • Nikayla Henderson: 1st place in Biomedical & Health Science
  • Eva Callen: 3rd place in Biomedical & Health Science
  • Jakavion Pea: 3rd place in Microbiology

SMART winners include:

  • Joseph Clary: 1st place in Biomedical Engineering and 1st place overall with his project, “Development and Optimization of a 3D Clinostat to Simulate Microgravity”; Qualified for participation in the International Science and Engineering Fair; Caddo Magnet High School
  • Prashnu Khanna: 1st place in Biochemistry; Caddo Magnet High School
  • Karleigh Landry: 1st place in Cellular and Molecular Biology; Parkway High School
  • Molly McNulty: 2nd place in Behavioral and Social Sciences; C.E. Byrd High School
  • Eshaan Tandon: 2nd place in Microbiology; Caddo Magnet High School
  • Pooja Veerareddy: 2nd place in Biomedical and Health Science; Caddo Magnet High School

First and 2nd place category winners qualify to participate in the Louisiana Science & Engineering Fair.

BioStart and the Biotechnology Magnet Academy were launched in conjunction with the Caddo Parish School Board, LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport (LSUHSCS), LSU Shreveport, participating biotech companies, and Southwood High School. SMART is a partnership among BRF, LSUHSCS, and the Caddo, Bossier and DeSoto parish school boards.