Brick Memorial High School Students Secure 2nd Place Nationally in NASA’S “Growing Beyond Earth” Symposium
Brick Memorial High School is proud to announce that students Allison Kennedy and Eric Adams have achieved a 2nd place finish in the national Growing Beyond Earth (GBE) Student Research Symposium. Competing against more than 80 schools and 300 participants from across the country, Kennedy and Adams earned one of the highest honors in this prestigious NASA-supported program.
Their award-winning research focused on the intersection of botany and microbiology, specifically investigating how varying bacteria concentrations can impact and potentially enhance the growth of Alaskan Nasturtium. This research is part of a larger effort to identify sustainable food sources and cultivation methods for astronauts on long-duration space missions, such as those to Mars or the International Space Station.
On April 11th, Allison and Eric presented their findings virtually to a panel of professional judges and NASA scientists. The students were commended not only for their scientific rigor but for the professionalism and deep subject-matter expertise they displayed during the defense of their research.
This year’s 2nd place finish marks a significant milestone for Brick Memorial High School, as it is the 4th consecutive year the program has placed in the top ten nationally. This consistent track record of success highlights the dedication of the students and the strength of the curriculum led by Mr. Schaible.
“We are incredibly proud of Allison and Eric,” said Principal Ed Sarluca. “Their achievement is a testament to the hard work they put in every day in the lab and the unwavering excellence of our Growing Beyond Earth program. Representing Brick Memorial at this level is a remarkable accomplishment for them and our entire school community.”
Growing Beyond Earth is a classroom-based citizen science project operated in partnership with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and NASA. The program empowers students to conduct authentic research to expand the variety of crops available for future space exploration.
Congratulations to Allison Kennedy, Eric Adams, and everyone involved in this outstanding achievement!
