Academia. Area students test physics, engineering skills
| 29 May 2023 | 05:14
The DVHS team (clockwise from top left) of Nixon Kameen, Wil Salus, Jess Rhule, John Rivera, Clint Murray, John Lockwood with team coach Steve Rhule and University of Scranton Physics and Engineering Department faculty specialist Rachel Frissell. (
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Nearly 200 area students participated in The University of Scranton’s annual Hayes Family Science Competition for High School Physics and Engineering Students. The academic competition tested the high school students’ knowledge of physics and engineering through a series of quizzes and hands-on challenges. Students competed individually and in teams.
John Lockwood from Delaware Valley High School finished in first place in the individual competition, based on a quiz given to all participants and placement in a Jeopardy game of those with highest quiz scores. Noah Beckish from North Pocono High School finished second and John Ebert from Berwick High School came in third place.
In the team competition, the DVHS team of Lockwood, Olivia Bogert, Nixon Kameen, Clint Murray, Jess Rhule, John Rivera and Wil Salus with coach Steve Rhule placed first.
Throughout the daylong competition, the students participated in teams in a series of hands-on challenges that tested their skills in several areas of physics and engineering, including a Data Analysis Event, Static Equilibrium Event, an All Power Out Event and a Trebuchet Event, for which the students had to predict the landing point of a basketball launched across the gym by medieval catapult.
In the Data Analysis Event, the DVHS team won first place.
Two Honesdale High School teams - Team One of Nolan Duffy, Jacob Becker, Avery Ohliger, Trent Decker, Lake Leclere, Cal Downey, Bradley Rotundo; and Team Two of Jessieca Aguasin, Pooja Patel, Madison Suaendsen, Mattia Pilotti, Russel Harcum and Nate Hugaboom – also competed. Both teams were coached by coach Rebecca Kretschmer.
The competition was organized by the University’s Department of Physics and Electrical Engineering to encourage more students to pursue careers in physics and engineering.