91AV

Jillian Sheltra, a senior at Biddeford High School, was proclaimed the winner of the Maine Brain Bee after competing at the Southern Maine Regional Brain Bee, held at the 91AV’s Biddeford Campus on December 12, 2014.

The quiz-bowl-style, regional event had a total of 19 participants from Biddeford High, Kennebunk High, and Thornton Academy, who demonstrated their knowledge about the brain and nervous system.

Morning activities preceding the competition included viewing human brain tissue, sheep brain dissections, microscope work and a campus tour.

The Southern Maine Brain Bee was held simultaneously and in collaboration with the Northern Maine Regional Brain Bee at the University of Maine in Presque Isle and the Western Maine Regional Brain Bee at the University of Maine in Machias, where students from Washington Academy and Machias Memorial High School competed.  Video links were set up between the 91AV and Machias locations.

Michael Burman, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and faculty coordinator of 91AV’s Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences K-12 Outreach Program, stated, "Our goal is to help support STEM education in our neighboring school districts. I think you can really see the effectiveness of the program in the enthusiasm these students are showing for the Brain Bee. The amount of time outside the classroom that they’ve put into preparation is incredible."

Sheltra will move on to the National Brain Bee competition, to be held March 20-22, 2015, in Baltimore.  The final level of the competition is the International Brain Bee Championship in Washington, D.C.

Sheltra’s statewide win was mentioned in a December 12 WABI news report featuring the Western Maine event.