When you pass the Makerspace room at Pawling Middle School, you will find students designing, drawing, building, thinking. Stations with many different materials are available to encourage the mini-inventors.

Each month, the students are given a different challenge. In February, they were asked to make a creature that moves. The first winners of the monthly makerspace competition were:

In March, students were tasked with making something powered by wind. “Students have immediately taken an interest is this theme,” says Janine Ferriner , teaching assistant. “Many students were hard at work, sketching, planning, and brainstorming their ‘wind’ project.”

Secondary projects in March have included:

Veronica Bucci, a senior, took First Place for Best Poster at the 30th World Summit on Positive Psychology, Mindfulness, Psychotherapy and Philosophy Conference in Chicago, Ill. Not only did she present her research to world-renowned psychologists, sociologists, and psychiatrists, but she was asked to present her new research as a speaker to fill a time slot designated for a doctoral candidate who was delayed due to travel issues. Veronica competed against doctoral students to earn the first place finish. 

"The Positive Psychology Conference gave me the opportunity to network with leading professionals in the field of psychology and allowed me to broaden my horizon of experimental questions and designs,” Bucci says. “I was lucky enough to listen to various topics and perspectives from ‘Mom guilt’ to Maslow's hierarchy of needs that, in turn, allowed me to consider topics I may want to delve into in the future. Additionally, being recognized and awarded for my work as a young psychology researcher was a great accomplishment and honor, further solidifying my passion for research surrounding the mind and lifestyles.”

Pawling High School physics students visited Pawling Elementary School to let fourth grade students throw eggs as hard as they possibly could. Fourth-graders in Project Lead the Way (PLTW) classes participated in an Egg Drop Challenge in which they are designing restraint systems to protect an egg from a 10 foot drop. 

“This demonstration showed our fourth-graders the importance of extending the time it takes for an object to transfer its kinetic energy after a collision,” explains Stephen Malone, PLTW teacher at the elementary school and technology teacher at Pawling High School.

View video of egg toss: https://bit.ly/2I9ZPQl

Scooters, smoothies, and sports were all part of this year’s Wonderful Wellness Day on March 9 at Pawling High School. More than 70 students participated in the day’s events, which were hosted by Pawling Central School District’s Health and Wellness Committee along with the Pawling Recreation Department.

“The Health and Wellness Committee in collaboration with the Pawling Recreation Department, held a Wonderful Wellness Day focused on promoting a healthy, fun lifestyle by engaging in various indoor activities,” says Anne Molloy, physical education teacher and coordinator of the event. “We were able to reach students and families throughout the community through wellness.”

View photos of the day Link  https://bit.ly/2TV4GHw

Pawling High School athletes were honored for their participation in Winter Sports on March 8.

"Pawling Tigers Varsity Sports Awards Nights are the perfect time to celebrate all that our athletes do during their seasons," says John Bellucci, athletic director. "Our athletes dedicate a great deal of time and to their sports and it is important to recognize them for the part they play in creating a strong Pawling school community."

He added that athletics support relationships and working toward a collective goal. "It is very important that we value the effort that results in improvement and not just the participation. Our awards are one way we can show that we value these things in our school and extended community," Bellucci says.

See full list of awards. Link to https://bit.ly/2uIFHgn