Girls’ Recognition Night 2025
The AAUW Beaver Valley Branch Community Committee hosts a Girls’ Recognition Night in partnership with the Community College of Beaver County to recognize eighth grade girls from Beaver County for their abilities in math and/or science.
The girls are recommended by their teacher for this award and are presented with certificates and a copy of the teacher’s recommendation which is read at the ceremony. The Carnegie Science Center also donated tickets to the science center. All Beaver County middle schools are invited to submit their nominees. A panel of women whose careers involve STEM speak at this event to inspire these young ladies.
On April 10th, Girls’ Recognition Night honored twenty-eight young ladies from twelve school districts at our event. In attendance were the girls’ families and teachers. Our Community College spokesperson was Ms. Farrow, MBA, who delivered an insightful talk on Cybersecurity. She also informed the girls and their parents about the opportunity to earn college credits while attending high school. Our two college panelists, Cassidy McCracken, an Engineering Major at CCBC, and Stephanie Milovich, an Information Technology Major at Penn State Beaver, provided the girls with valuable information on college life and what to expect in classes.
The eighth-grade students also heard from Dr. Kimberlee Hobizal, FACFAS, a board-certified, fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeon, and Autumn E. Sabo, Ph.D., an assistant professor of biology at Penn State, who shared insights about their daily responsibilities as women working in STEM fields.
This was our first year to include a branch information table. We are pleased that the girls and parents were interested in the materials we had to offer.
Once again, the Carnegie Science Center donated tickets for the students to spend a day at the center. This year, we were excited to promote the Science Center’s new initiative, Tour Your Future.
For the past fourteen years, our program has celebrated the achievements of four hundred (400) eighth-grade girls excelling in science and math.
Girls’ Recognition Night Honorees – 2025
Honorees in Mathematics
Beaver Area Middle School: Magnolia O’Leary
Beaver County Christian School: Evelyn Birchler
Blackhawk, Highland Middle School: Olivia Lyons
Central Valley Middle School: Gia Guandolo
Central Valley Middle School: Adriana Mansueti
Freedom Area Middle School: Katelyn VanDeCar
Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School: Anna Augustine
Midland Elementary /Middle School: Hayley McCarthy
Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School: Grace DeLuca
Riverside Beaver County School: Mary Frazer
Riverside Beaver County School: Ryleigh Parks
St. Monica Catholic Academy: Clare Kullen
South Side Area Middle School: Kelly Tingler
Western Beaver Junior/Senior High School: Channing Chaffee
Honorees in Science
Aliquippa Jr. Sr. High School: Salome Montero-Velasco
Ambridge Area Junior High School: Lila Catalano
Beaver Area Middle School: Mikenna Keber
Beaver County Christian School: Avery Stahl
Beaver Falls Middle School: Lydia Edwards
Blackhawk, Highland Middle School: Chloe King
Central Valley Middle School: Gia Guandolo
Central Valley Middle School: Adriana Mansueti
Freedom Area Middle School: Tayler Dalesandro
Central Valley Middle School: Gia Guandolo
Hopewell: Aislynn Patrick
Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School: Katie (Alea) LaFaye
Midland Elementary /Middle School: Abigail Burchett
Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School: Grace DeLuca
Riverside Middle School: Grace Hall
St. Monica Catholic Academy: Vivian Shewak
South Side Area Middle School: Amelia Masley
Western Beaver Junior/Senior High School: Zoey Parkhurst
Thank you to this year’s selection committee:
Joann Lecrone, Mary DeSanzo, Roberta Good, Christine Kubala, Angela Manno, Mar Murray, Sharon Nerone, Bonnie Reyes, and Vickie Scott.
Links to past STEM Girls’ Recognition Events
STEM Girls’ Recognition – 2024
STEM Girls’ Recognition – 2023