Colleagues,
Hope you enjoyed today’s sunny weather. We are pleased to share this piece concerning students from Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School who earned top honors at the Region V Science and Engineering Fair held March 14 at Bridgewater State University
We thank JoAnne O’Brien, Academic Supervisor, Math & Science at the Southeastern Regional School District for sharing this great news with us!
MAVA extends its best wishes for continued success to Khadeja Mukassabi who won the grand prize and qualified to advance to the Massachusetts State Science and Engineering Fair, scheduled for April at the DCU Center in Worcester. The award also automatically qualifies her to represent Region V at the International Science and Engineering Fair, the world’s largest precollege science competition, to be held in May in Phoenix, Arizona.
David
Southeastern Regional students shine at Region V science fair
Dave DeMille The Taunton Daily Gazette
April 3, 2026, 5:06 a.m. ET
<![if !vml]>
<![endif]>Students from Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School earned top honors at the Region V Science and Engineering Fair held March 14 at Bridgewater State University, according to a community announcement.
Eight Southeastern Regional students presented original research alongside students from 75 cities and towns across Massachusetts during the regional competition. Three students received major awards, and several others advanced to the state level.
Khadeja Mukassabi won the grand prize for her project, “Say Goodbye to Pests and Pesticides: Exploring the Effects of Potassium Soil Levels on Druse Idioblasts Containing Calcium Oxalate Crystals in Spinacia oleracea.” She also received the Yale Science and Engineering Association Award.
With the grand prize, Mukassabi qualified to advance to the Massachusetts State Science and Engineering Fair, scheduled for April at the DCU Center in Worcester. The award also automatically qualifies her to represent Region V at the International Science and Engineering Fair, the world’s largest pre‑college science competition, to be held in May in Phoenix, Arizona.
<![if !vml]>
<![endif]>Valerie Lindh earned a second‑place award and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center Trailblazer Award for her project, “Topical Soil Transplantation: A Novel PGPM Inoculation Strategy for Vigna radiata.”
Olutayo Oyewusi and Finnegan Sommer received a third‑place award and the Computing Excellence Award for their project, “Therabee: Accessible Mental Health Screening.” Lindh, Oyewusi and Sommer will also advance to the Massachusetts State Science and Engineering Fair in April.
<![if !vml]>
<![endif]>Five additional Southeastern Regional students presented research projects at the regional competition. Theo Moua presented “Cyberlabs,” Alisa Catulle presented “Protect Against Toxic Waste,” Osamuyime Igbinoba presented “Dental Diffusion,” Alessandra Mendes presented “Biofeedback‑Based Productivity Optimization Software,” and Morgan O’Donnell presented “Dams: Effect on Organisms and Their Environment.”
Students qualified for the regional fair after first competing in the Southeastern Regional School District Science and Engineering Fair. Top‑scoring projects in the Scientific Method and Engineering categories advanced automatically, with additional high‑scoring students selected to fill the school’s allotment of 10 regional entries. Superintendent Holly McClanan said the students’ work reflects strong curiosity and commitment, according to the announcement.
Principal Shawn Desmond said the fair provided students with opportunities to share research and connect with peers from across the region, according to the announcement.
This story was created by Dave DeMille, ddemille, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
Chapter 74 Vocational Technical & Agricultural Education
LEARNING THAT WORKS FOR MASSACHUSETTS
David J. Ferreira
MAVA Communications Coordinator
DavidFerreira