New Liberty Sophomore Wins State Science Fair Spot

Jailyn Serrano, a sophomore at New Liberty Innovation School, competed at the Massachusetts Science and Engineering State Fair on April 9 at the DCU Center in Worcester. She became the fifth student from her school to reach the state competition in three years.

Serrano studied how temperature affects medicinal production in fungi, specifically comparing aspergillus niger and penicillium chrysogenum. She qualified for states after presenting her research at the MSEF Region IV Science Fair on March 14 at Tufts University.

About 180 high schools and 3,000 students participated in the state competition. Judges questioned students about their displayed projects.

"At first I was very nervous because there were so many talented students there," Serrano said. "Since I was the only student from my school attending, it felt intimidating, but it also made me feel proud to represent Salem and my school."

Serrano spent two months researching and forming her hypothesis, then another month refining her presentation after the regional fair.

"There were many times during my project when I doubted myself," she said. "I learned that science takes patience, problem-solving, and persistence. I also learned how important communication is, especially when presenting research to judges and answering questions."

Dr. Brenda Goodrum, STEM educator at New Liberty, praised Serrano's achievement. "Representing our school at the state level is no small accomplishment, and she did so with confidence, curiosity, and determination," Goodrum said.

New Liberty sent students to the state fair three consecutive years. Last year, then-sophomores Nevin Lebron and Christopher Lemus competed at Gillette Stadium. Tyrone Manifold and Shanay Love, now seniors, represented the school in 2024.