FIRST UP on GMW is an occasional column that highlights shorter announcements or updates, and helps you get a quick start to the Wilton news of the day. Have a news tip, item or something you know people are chatting about? Email us at editor@goodmorningwilton.com.
Today’s FIRST UP is all about standout Wilton young people.
Middlebrook Students’ Science Fair Projects Win Recognition at CT State Science and Engineering Fair
Congratulations to the Wilton students who participated in the 2022 Connecticut Science and Engineering Fair. Several took home prizes and recognition, with some earning invitations to the Broadcom MASTERS competition. Each year, the top 10% of students from certain Summer Science Program-affiliated regional and state science fairs across the nation are eligible for entry in the Broadcom MASTERS competition.
This year two projects from Wilton qualified to compete in Broadcom MASTERS.
Seventh graders Leonardo Kulon and Sanaka Dash won first place with their project, “School Bus Approach Alert System,” earning an invitation to move on and compete in the 2022 Broadcom MASTERS competition this summer. Their recognition includes:
- Lockheed Martin Physical Sciences Awards, First Place — Physical Sciences Middle School Team: $100 each and a plaque
- Stanley Black & Decker Applied Technology Awards — Middle School Finalist: Medallion
- Raytheon Corporation Awards — $500 and a plaque
- Broadcom MASTERS Invitation
Preethi Vijay and Trisha Prabu won second place with their project, “A novel way to solve coral bleaching”; they also earned an invitation to the Broadcom MASTERS competition, as well as the following recognition:
- PepsiCo Life Sciences Awards, Second Place — Life Sciences Middle School Team: $100 each and a plaque
- J.A. Augustine Award — $100 for excellence in biology
- Connecticut Invention Convention “Next Step Inventors” — Next Step Inventor Trophy and an invitation to compete at the 2022 Invention Convention
- Broadcom MASTERS Invitation
Other projects from Wilton students that earned recognition included:
William Olmstead, “Revolutionary 3D-Printed Shoes to Change the Way We Think about Footwear”
- Susan and Stanley Lessoff Memorial Award: $250 and a plaque
Arista Sullivan and Meredith Sullivan, “Illusion v. Reality”
- Lockheed Martin Physical Sciences Awards — Finalist, Physical Sciences Junior Team: CSF Medallion
Wilton High School Students Win PTA Reflections Honors
The National PTA has a long-standing commitment to arts education and the Reflections program provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts to help boost student confidence and success in the arts and in life.
Each year, over 300,000 students create original works of art in response to a student-selected theme. This more than 50-year-old program helps students explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas; develop artistic literacy; increase confidence; and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful in school and in life.
The 2021–2022 Reflections theme was “I Will Change The World By…”
This year the Wilton High School art department had six winners at the district level, two of whom were recognized at the State level.
Visual Arts Category
- First Place Connecticut PTA, First Place Wilton PTA: Rachna Narayanan (Junior) — “It’s In Our Hands”
- Second Place Wilton PTA: Charlotte Casiraghi (Junior)
- Third Place Wilton PTA: Keerthi Vijay (Junior) — “Under the Skin”
Photography Category
- First Place Connecticut PTA, First Place Wilton PTA: Jordan Huff (Senior) — “Through The Glass”
- Second Place Wilton PTA: Meredith Mobyed (Senior)
- 3rd Place Wilton PTA: Mihika Shukla (Senior) — “Lost”
Wilton 11U Baseball Team Places 2nd In Ripken Aberdeen Rundown Tournament
The Wilton 11U Baseball Team placed second out of 14 teams in the Ripken Aberdeen Rundown Tournament last weekend. The 15 players played five games, including a triple-header on Sunday, Mar. 27, in bitterly cold conditions that included snow and hail at various times.
The true team effort was highlighted by the pitching staff, which included nine pitchers throwing more than one inning over the course of the weekend. Max Bryant set the tone early with his opening start to help solidify the team’s first win against the Sparta Cyclones on Saturday, Mar. 26. That set up historic back-to-back complete games by Brandon Ray (quarterfinal 6-4 win against the Upper Moreland Bears) and Tommy Kelly (semifinal 4-3 win against the East Williston Wildcats), both of which were completed without walking one batter. Key innings were also thrown by Owen Hanscom, Jonah Meyer, Tyler Perna, Alex Trichilo, Peyton Albright and Oliver Porter over the course of the weekend.
The offense was led by Meyer, Brian Cosentino, Hanscom and Bryant, who combined for 18 hits, including five doubles and two triples, over the course of the weekend. Kelly and Ray set the tone at the top of the lineup, combining for four hits and eight runs scored while Dylan Pamnani, Chase Dustin, Albright, Perna, Luke Campo, Trichilo, Ryan Driscoll, Aiden Kong and Porter contributed key hits, runs and RBIs throughout the tournament.
The defense was led by Trichilo, Porter and Kong at third base; Kelly and Ray at short stop; Driscoll and Campo at second base; Hanscom at first base; Meyer and Cosentino behind the plate; Albright and Pamnani in left field; Bryant in center field; and Dustin and Perna in right field.
Although the team ultimately lost the championship game, the impressive run in such a competitive tournament is something all 15 players can be extremely proud of.
Congratulations to all!