Five White Plains High School students were recognized for their outstanding research at this year’s Regeneron Westchester Science and Engineering Fair (WESEF), one of the largest and most competitive high school science fairs in the country. The event featured more than 800 participants from more than 45 schools across the Lower Hudson Valley, showing work across a wide range of disciplines.
Among the top award winners was senior Francis F. Nkoutche, who earned first place in the Engineering category along with multiple awards. His project focused on developing an attachment for noise cancelling headphones that filters out background noise while allowing users to hear human speech in the direction they are facing. Designed to assist individuals with sound sensitivity, the project combined engineering and accessibility.
“It was a nice validation of the work I’ve done,” Francis said. “And hopefully a sign to continue similar projects.”
He hopes to continue refining the device in college, with the goal of making it small enough to fit in a pocket.
Deya Allen, who received the Excellence in Behavioral Science Award, explored mental health within the dance community. Using standardized psychological assessments, she found that dancers with more intensive training tended to experience higher levels of anxiety. Inspired by her own experiences in dance, Deya initially planned a meditation-based intervention study but had to pivot after participants failed to complete follow up surveys. Despite the setback, her final research proved impactful.
“Receiving this award means a lot to me,” she said. “It reassured me that people still care about dancers and the challenges they face.”
Eliana Lieber earned second place in the Plant Science category for her research on genetically modifying green algae using elements of cyanobacteria, with potential applications for space travel. Although her project evolved significantly due to limited access to lab materials, she adapted by shifting to a data-driven approach.
“I’ve ended up completely changing my methodology four times,” she explained. While she plans to pursue engineering rather than biology, Eliana credits the project with deepening her interest in scientific innovation.
Vivi Nguyen was recognized with the American Psychological Association award for her research on peer tutoring. Her project examined whether tutoring benefits both tutors and students, while also addressing accessibility issues in education.
“The average cost of tutoring is more than the average hourly wage in New York,” Vivi noted, highlighting the need for more affordable academic support.
She plans to expand her tutoring initiative to reach more students through after-school programs.
Although not all award winners were available for comment, their work represents the power of student driven innovation.
