Mars Area High School Advanced Placement (AP) Research students offered oral presentations on the results of their year-long academic research on April 16-17.

“(The students) have spent all year designing, planning, and implementing academic research studies in an area of personal interest,” says Rebecca Hoffmann, AP Research teacher, noting that the presentations must follow specific requirements mandated by The College Board.

In addition to the oral presentation, the students were required to complete a 4,000- to 5,000-word academic paper on their chose subject. Their final score is based on a combination of both the Academic Paper and Presentation with Oral Defense.

Participating students included seniors:

• Sara Biaggini, “Pittsburgh Historic Churches and their Role in Preserving Heritage while Unifying the Community;”
• Alivia Brown, “How Fast Fashion Influencers Effect Adolescents Self-Confidence and Impulsive Buying Decisions;”
• Sydney Denk, “The Potential for Linguistic Bias Against Speakers of the Pittsburgh Regional Dialect;”
• Olivia Dickson, “Collective Memory and the Effects on Growing Animal Extinction Rates;”
• Alexa Everhart, “The Effect of Thin Ideal TikTok Fitness Influencers on Teenage Girls’ Self Esteem;”
• Madeline George, “Smart Shopping: How Teenage Cohort Purchasing Decisions Correlate with Energy Drink Package Designs;”
• Gianna Goodman, “Optimizing Secondary School Policies for Pregnant and Parenting Students: A Qualitative Comparative Content Analysis;”
• Paul Konitzky, “IEP Procedures for Bridging Early Intervention Social Developments for Students Diagnosed with ASD in Inclusive Classrooms;”
• Anna McGrath, “Developing an Awareness Resource for Anticipatory Grief;”
• Tess McGrath, “Parental Perceptions of Organic Food and Preferences Influencing Purchasing Behavior;”
• Kaden Ostapchencko, “Exploring the Implementation of the Modified Optimal Boarding Process;”
• Riley Rodgers, “The Impacts of Burnout on the Well-Being Amongst Home Healthcare Nurses;”
• Brody Slavicek, “Feasibility of Public Transportation Expansion along Freight Rail Corridors in the Pittsburgh Region;”
• Emily Yazemboski, “Factors Affecting Implementation of Garden-Based Curriculum in Elementary School Classrooms;”

and, juniors:

• Hannah Mallick, “The Effects of Long-Term Enrollment in Ballet on Adolescent Academic Work Ethic;”
• Mei Lien Mansfield, “The Perceptions of Family Caregivers of Older Adults Living with Dementia in Relation to the Utilization of Home-Based Care Services;”
• Lauren Muñoz, “Biophilic Design Integration of High School Courtyards;” and
• Madelyn Peterson, “Female Reproductive and Menstruation System Knowledge Analysis of Teenage Girls at High School M.”

The students’ presentations were judged by an oral defense panel made up of Hoffmann, English teacher Jared Stutzman, and retired teachers Bill Wesley and Karen Yost. Panel members asked questions pertaining to the students’ research or inquiry process, depth of understanding, and reflection throughout the inquiry process.

The College Board will inform the students of their scores in July. For more information, visit information on AP Research.