Mineola students present research on antibiotic resistance and free time; one senior named Regeneron semifinalist

Students in Mineola Union Free School District presented science research projects at the June 18 board meeting, describing methods, data and limitations and answering board questions about materials and future work.

Madison DeSilas and Iona Michi, tenth‑grade students, presented a laboratory project titled “The synergistic effects of antibiotics in slowing antibiotic resistance.” Madison DeSilas said their hypothesis tested combinations of antibiotics and that “our amoxicillin and tetracycline combination was the most effective in decreasing the rate of developing antibiotic resistance in our E. coli population.” The students described culturing E. coli, repeating assays across five generations, measuring inhibition zones with ImageJ and noting contamination and instrumentation as experimental limitations.

A second team — Gianna Regio, Alex Griswold and Laura Tharasi Arruda — presented a social‑science study surveying 61 high‑school participants about free time and mental health. The students said they scored survey items on a one‑to‑five scale and reported that measures of “connection to nature” showed the strongest correlation with better self‑reported mental health, while other constructs produced weaker or inconsistent correlations. They described measurement bias, seasonal variation and lifestyle differences as limitations and suggested follow‑up research on culture, gender and time‑of‑year effects.

The board asked procedural and materials questions during a brief Q&A. A board member asked where the laboratory work was conducted; the students said it was performed in the high‑school science lab. Another board member asked whether the researchers had sufficient materials; the students responded they did.

The meeting also included honors for science research: Fatima Badula was recognized as a Regeneron Top‑300 semifinalist, and 11 students submitted to Regeneron this year, according to the district presentation. The board and teachers highlighted additional regional and state science‑fair placements and broader program work — including peer review rubrics, AP Research preparation, and seniors producing “legacy” materials to help younger students.

Ending: District staff and board members praised both laboratory and social‑science approaches as educationally valuable, and board members encouraged students to continue research next year in AP Research and other competitions.