Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science

Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS)
Founded 1934
Current State Director Fay Hadaway-Nelson
Current State Treasurer Leah Ann Williams
Current State Secretaries Jim and Monica Conlin

Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) is a state-wide science fair in Pennsylvania that was founded in 1934. It includes both a regional meet as well as a state meet at Penn State University. The science fair is open to all students of participating schools in grades 7-12. Winners of regional meets are invited up to the state meet, where they are given the opportunity to win a wide range of scholarships up to $8,000 ($2,000 per year).[1]

Goals [2]

The Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Academy of Science, as an Affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, is organized with the following objectives:

The Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science is a non-profit organization, tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) as described in Section 509 (a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and files form 990 –Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, on an annual basis. The Academy is also a registered charitable organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and therefore, is authorized to solicit contributions within Pennsylvania. The PJAS Federal Employer Number (EIN) is #23-6396183. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Charitable Organizations (State Certificate Number) is #14563. PJAS is audited yearly by Wildeman and Obrock Certified Public Accountants, 515 South 29th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17104-2104.

History [3]

The Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) is a statewide organization of junior and senior high school students designed to stimulate and promote interest in science among its members through the development of research projects and investigations. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is divided into 12 PJAS regions. Each PJAS region consists of two or more counties. Every PJAS region has one or more directors and a treasurer who oversee the operation of the region. PJAS also has a State Director, a State Secretary, and two State Treasurers as well as committees for Judging, Safety, Technicians, and Awards.

In the early 1930’s, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) appointed a national executive committee to coordinate the activities of the various state Junior Academies of Science (JAS). Thus, the JAS movement became an integral part of the AAAS organization with the formation of the National Junior Academy of Science (NJAS). A paper presented at the Pennsylvania Academy of Science (PAS) at its West Chester meeting in1932 resulted in the appointment of a committee to consider the development of a junior academy in Pennsylvania. As a result of this committee, the senior PAS became the parent organization of the PJAS. Two years later, on March 31, 1934, in Reading, PA, delegates from 14 high school science clubs from all parts of the Commonwealth approved a constitution for the PJAS organization. The Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science had become a reality. Dr. Otis W. Caldwell from Columbia University served as an official delegate of the AAAS and welcomed the new group. Pennsylvania was added to the states of Indiana, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, and others that already established junior academies of science. The first PJAS State Director was Dr. Karl F. Oerlein of the California State Teachers College in California, PA. He continued his office until 1941.

PJAS has grown through the efforts and dedication of many adult sponsors and students. PJAS conducted the early state meetings at various resorts and convention centers throughout the Commonwealth. The last such convention was at Seven Springs Resort in 1990. Because of the enormous growth in the number of students participating; the State Meeting was moved to Penn State University at University Park, PA, in 1991.

In 2010, the school participation grew from the original 14 schoosl in 1934 to 551 schools. At the region level, over 6000 students presented their scientific research. The 2011 state meeting hosted 3400 presenters in over 312 units. The total number at the State Meeting including student presenters, technicians, sponsors and chaperons was almost 4000. Each year a different region hosts the State Meeting. The Regions host in the following order:

Year ending in: PJAS Region:
0 Region 9
1 Region 5
2 Region 10
3 Region 1
4 Region 8
5 Region 2
6 Region 7
7 Region 4
8 Region 6
9 Region 3

The following have served as PJAS State Directors:

  • Dr. Karl F. Oerlein 1934-1941
  • Miss Mary Hawthorne 1941-1944
  • Mrs. Marie K. Overholts 1944-1945
  • Miss Sophie Moiles 1945-1958
  • Mr. Charles L. Bikle 1958-1964
  • Mr. Robert E. Hansen 1964-1967
  • Mrs. Carolyn A. Gibson 1967-1971
  • Sister M. Gabrielle, Ph.D. 1971-1976
  • Mr. Joseph A. Gennaula 1976-1979
  • Mr. Clarence Myers 1979-1985
  • Mr. Edward Testa 1985-1989
  • Mr. Joseph Durkin 1989-1996
  • Mr. James W. Maloy 1996-2008
  • Mr. Peter Carando 2002-2008
  • Dr. Laura Fisanick 2008- 2014
  • Fay Hadaway-Nelson 2014 to present

Projects [4]

PJAS projects fall under four main groups: Science, Mathematics, Computer Science, or Engineering1 Projects. Each categories uses its own individualized rubric.

Science Projects

Consists of projects in the following categories:

Mathematics Projects

Consists of projects heavily focused on mathematics, or projects proving mathematical theories. Projects that use some math that is not the main focus of the project should be considered for other categories before being labeled as a math project.

Computer Science Projects

Consists of projects that test computer programs, algorithms, computer languages, and hardware.

Engineering Projects1

Consists of projects aimed to solve practical problems, focused in electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering. Can also include projects dealing with energy engineering, nanoengineering, and data engineering.

1 - Engineering is a new category, first implemented in the 2015 PJAS season with the regional and state meet.

Regional Meetings

The program is split up into 12 regions (Including regions 1A, 1B, and 1C) which span from Philadelphia to Lake Erie. Each of these regions holds a private science competition, usually during February or March, where students present their research to a panel of judges. These judges score the student's project using PJAS rubrics for the specific category (see Projects). Each region has its own regional director(s) in charge of coordinating the regions for the regional and state meet, in addition to school sponsor(s) (teacher(s)) running the organization at their school. It is possible to have regional director(s) also acting as school sponsor(s).

After students present their research, the judges deliberate and go through each project to determine the student's score based on the appropriate PJAS rubric. After all of the scores are tabulated on a scale from 1 to 5, an awards ceremony is held - students receive a certificate and a pin with the color of their award (See Pin & Bars section). Some regions gain enough funding to also support special awards (like Director's awards or ones sponsored by societies or companies) for students who score the highest in their respective category, or based on other criterion. Special awards at the regional meet aren't required for PJAS and thus, depend on each region.

State Meet

Sunday

At each state meet, students who earned a first award at their respective regional meet are invited to travel to the main campus (University Park) of the Pennsylvania State University to present their projects. Students travel to Main Campus with their region (sometimes on coach buses if traveling for several hours). The state meet always occurs from Sunday to Tuesday in mid-May. The exact date varies from year to year but is typically the same weekend of Penn State's graduation, or sometimes the week after. Approximately 3,000 students presented their research at the 2015 State Meet.

Upon arriving at Main Campus, dorm keys and meal cards are picked up from the Glass Lounge (usually done by the regional director(s) or people assigned by the director(s)). Everyone attending the state meet receives a packet with a lanyard and name tag, a campus map, a big PJAS booklet with every student’s name, project title, and school, grouped by unit (groups of 10-15 students with projects in the same category) listed alphabetically by category (Behavioral, Botany, Chemistry…), and numerically by unit (Unit 1, Unit 2…). In addition to that, a Penn State magazine, PSU merchandise, and coupon to purchase discounted PSU items at the bookstore is also included. Judges receive a second packet detailing their judging assignment (sometimes two judging assignments if they have to judge senior high and junior high projects). Non-judging chaperones receive their chaperone duty. Chaperone duties vary from watching over the sports areas, to helping with one of two regular awards ceremonies – chaperone duty usually lasts only an hour or two. In previous years, when PJAS dances were held on the Monday night after the Special Awards Ceremony, chaperones would often find themselves assigned to the dance. After picking up and distributing packets and room keys, females head to their dorms and males do the same. It can also be arranged for a student to stay off campus. PJAS typically houses participants in the East Halls. Upon entering the dorm, each PSU meal card (that doubles as a key to enter the dorm) is tested. Then, students are able to head to their rooms. Usually, two students are housed together in one dorm room. In some cases, three students can successfully share a room.

New for the 2015 State Meet are green wristbands to discern who is at PSU for PJAS.

For meals, students eat in the Findlay Dining Commons. The meals paid are paid for when paying for the State meet. Meals at the State Meet are:

After dinner, students who will present their projects attend a meeting run by the regional director(s) in a large lecture hall, separated by region. Students attending the State Meet who are not presenting research are Technicians and they attend their own meeting to go over the rules and requirements of their duties. Technicians serve a crucial role in PJAS by serving as the timers of projects and the judges’ questions. When the presenter reaches the 5-minute mark, 8-minute mark, and 10-minute mark, the technician holds up a corresponding card to notify the presenter. For example, when the presentation reaches 5 minutes, the “5 Minutes Remaining” card is held in the air for the presenter to see. PJAS presenters have a time-limit of 10 minutes for their presentation to still earn a first award – going over 10 minutes is an automatic second award for the presenter. Technicians also time the judges when they ask questions following the presentation, with a maximum time of 5 minutes to ask questions.

On Sunday night, it is common for student presenters to practice their presentations, whether in their dorm or somewhere else on campus.

Monday

Monday is the big day for PJAS. It’s a full day of presentations and awards. Student presentations are split into two groups: Senior High and Junior High. Students find their unit and presenting location by locating themselves in the PJAS booklet. Senior High students eat breakfast and head to their building to present their project, dressed in business casual clothes. It is normal to see many students displaying their PJAS Pins & Bars on their lapel or elsewhere on their jacket/shirt/blouse.

As of the 2015 State Meet, all presentations are no longer presented via transparencies and overhead projectors – the norm for the state meet prior to 2012. Digital presentations were slowly introduced to the state meet with a handful of units at the 2012 state meet. Then, more and more units were made digital until in 2015 when it was announced all presentations would be digital. All digital presentations are saved/exported as PDF files, so no animations, videos, or sounds will appear during the presentation. Students upload their projects several days before arriving to Penn State with a special uploader, where all of the projects are grouped together by their respective units. When arriving in their unit’s room, all of the project to be presented are listed. When both the judges and technician(s) arrive, presentations can begin. Penn State students are available to help in any technological problems, but PJAS is no longer having one PSU student per unit.

When presentations are over, students can head back to their dorms and get changed before going to lunch, vice versa, or can do what their school sponsor has said to do. During this time, judges meet in the first floor of Findlay and deliberate and come to a conclusion on what award each project receives. Immediately following lunch in Findlay Dining Commons, the Senior High Award Ceremony begins in Eisenhower Auditorium at 1pm.

The Senior High Award Ceremony is where each of the morning presenters receives a certificate and pin(s) for their placement. A unit is called, alternating between odd units and even units (odd goes to the house-left wall and lines up, even projects do the same on the house-right wall). Each student’s name is called one by one with their award announced. A sample unit being called:

“Unit 17 please line up. Unit 34: John Doe, first award. Bob Doe, second award. Jane Doe, first award and perfect score (applause). James Doe, third award.”

For juniors interviewing for scholarships, they leave immediately after receiving their award. Sophomores and juniors interviewing for trips also leave immediately to interview.

While the Senior High Award Ceremony is taking place, the junior high students are presenting their projects in their units. When the award ceremony is over – over 100 units and 1300 students, students leave Eisenhower and have free time that can be spent back in the dorms, go off campus and visit stores and shops, eat ice cream from the creamery, or their school or region could have things planned.

After dinner, each region holds its own Junior High Award Ceremony throughout the campus in different lecture halls. Depending on the number of middle school students, this award ceremony could take a few minutes, or over an hour long. Each middle school student’s name is called along with their award. Students receive a corresponding pin for their award and a certificate. Prior to individual region's holding their own Junior High Award Ceremony, the Junior High Award Ceremony was held in Eisenhower Auditorium along with the other two award ceremonies.

The Special Awards Ceremony is held in Eisenhower again, but this time with all PJAS students – senior high and junior high. Students who earn a first award are strongly-suggested to attend this ceremony. Dozens of awards are distributed to students of all grades, all paired with monetary prizes. Students can win awards ranging from $50 to $8,000, with scholarships awarding the most money.

Other awards at the Special Awards Ceremony include:

2 - Many scholarships are awarded at each State Meet - the Eberly College of Science gave out over 50 scholarships at the 2015 State Meet.

After the Special Award's Ceremony, students are free to take part in various activities, hang out in the dorms, or do things their region/sponsor has planned.

Tuesday

Depending on when each region's buses arrive and depart, this varies by region. In general, most regions wake up early, eat breakfast, clear out their rooms and return their keys, and then load the buses and return home. Buses cannot leave until key collection is finished and checked by the regional director(s) and Penn State key collection.

Pins & Bar

The PJAS pins and bar are unique to the organization. Students earn bars for each competition (except for honorable mention) colored to reflects their performance. Students can earn bars at each regional meet and each state meet they present a project. Returning members of PJAS like to wear their pins and bar while presenting during meets. Depending on the student and his/her projects, it is possible for students to earn more than the 10 possible bars from his/her five years involved in the organization. Students earning a first award perfect score earn two pins - one for their first award, and a second for their perfect score. Therefore, it is possible for a student who competes in all 14 competitions, to earn a maximum of 20 bars (the student would have to earn perfect scores at every meet and would need to participate for all five years.

Regional Meet:

Perfect Score = white bar

1st Award = blue bar

2nd Award = red bar

3rd Award = yellow bar

State Meet:

Perfect Score = white bar with "STATES"

1st Award = blue bar with "STATES"

2nd Award = red bar with "STATES"

3rd Award = yellow bar with "STATES"

Honorable Mention = no bar

Scoring Rubric

PJAS, unlike many other science fairs, is judged based on a rubric rather than comparing projects and students. The rubric consists of five categories, each of which has a maximum score of 5.00. To proceed to the state meet, a participant must receive a 1st Award (an average score of 4.00 or greater) or a perfect score (5.00 - 5’s in all categories). Participants who receive 2nd awards (an average score between 3.00 and 3.99) may be eligible to go on the state trip as a technician. Participants that go over 10 minutes in presentation length automatically earn a second award and are ineligible to compete at the state meet.

For each category, on each rubric, 1-5 points may be awarded. The following table describes each point value.

Exceeds Characteristics 5
Meets ALL of the Characteristics 4
Meets MOST of the Characteristics 3
Meets FEW of the Characteristics 2
Meets NONE of the Characteristics 1

Scoring rubrics vary by category type (science, math, computer science, and engineering), but share two sections between all rubric types. For each of the five categories of each project type, judges pick a point value. These five numbers are averaged and a score is determined.

Science [5]

Math[6]

Computer Science[7]

Engineering[8]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.pjas.net/about-pjas
  2. ↑ http://www.pjas.net/about-pjas
  3. ↑ http://pjas.net/about-pjas
  4. ↑ http://www.pjas.net/presentation-guidelines
  5. ↑ http://www.pjas.net/science-presentations
  6. ↑ http://www.pjas.net/mathematics-presentations
  7. ↑ http://www.pjas.net/comp-sci-presentations
  8. ↑ http://www.pjas.net/component/content/article/71-competition/presentation/271-engineering-presentations
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