Steinert High School juniors Madison Szczepanski and Grace Morales have received the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Women in Engineering Employee Resource Group Math and Science Award.
The award is intended to recognize young women who are high school juniors excelling in math and science and are planning to pursue a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) career path in college.
Madison Szczepanski is a lifelong HTSD student, attending Yardville Heights Elementary, Reynolds Middle before Steinert. She is an editor for the school newspaper, co-vice president for the math club, the For Club (Friends of Rachel), peer leadership, national honor society, math honor society and marching band, and she manages the girls’ basketball book.
Szczepanski also dances and volunteers time with the Girl Scouts. “Having a father (Michael Szczepanski) for your math teacher challenges me to work hard in math, as he is always teaching me,” she said in a media release provided by the district. Szczepanski is currently taking five AP classes: AP Calculus AB, AP Physics, AP World History Modern, AP Psychology and AP English Language and Composition.
She works part time at Dairy Queen, and volunteers every spring and fall for Miracle League in the YMCA program at Sawmill. She has also worked to achieve her Silver Award in Girl Scouts through creating a sensory cornfield.
Grace Morales is also a lifelong HTSD student, attending Alexander Elementary, Reynolds Middle and Steinert High School. Morales participates in leadership roles in math and art, serving as the Math Club co-vice president and the National Art Honors Society chairperson.
She is also a member of the National Honor Society and the National Honors Math Society. She is an active participant in the marching band unit (playing the trombone), newspaper club and Italian Club.
Morales volunteers her time with Teens on Fire, a part of Embright Education, formerly Camp Fire USA, and is an artist in her free time. Though painting is her passion, Morales says she would like to pursue a math and physics degree, while continuing to paint and draw and focus on a minor in art in college.
“We are currently working on a library art mural along with service projects related to art,” Morales said. “Math is my favorite subject as I have always enjoyed it and found myself drawn to it. I enjoy being part of the math club and bringing students together as the co-vice president.”
Morales’ mother, Barbara Morales, is the principal of McGalliard Elementary school. “My mother is a big source of my work ethic and desire to always try to do my best. The work my mother does for her school community inspires me; I look up to her a lot. I liked the idea of recognizing women in STEM, which is why I applied,” Morales said. She has also been nominated by Steinert to apply for The Governor’s School in Math and Sciences at Drew University, a three-week summer program.
“Congratulations to Grace and Madison on this award. To have one student receive this very competitive honor is amazing, but to have two students receive it is incredible. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication to math and science both Grace and Madison have demonstrated over the years. We are all proud of their accomplishments and for winning this award,” said Dr. Scott Rocco, superintendent of schools.
