Ten Hoboken Middle School Kids Win National Physics Competition

HOBOKEN, NJ — Physics for sixth to eighth graders? Apparently it wasn't too tough to tackle for 10 students from Hoboken Middle School who won awards in a national one-day event.

The students were notified of their awards two weeks ago, after their school participated in the first ever Physics Olympiad hosted by Physical Science Research Associates in April.

In the Inaugural U.S. Physics Olympiad for Middle School Students, the middle schoolers first had 90 minutes to answer 25 multiple-choice questions. Then they had to face six open-ended, pre-algebra-based physics problems.

The following students placed in The Inaugural Middle School Physics Olympiad:

1. Ava DiGiacomo (7th Grade)- 90th Percentile
2. Dusan Dobric (8th Grade)- 90th Percentile
3. Peter Franco (8th Grade)- Second Place
4. Adrian Jianksy (7th Grade)- 90th Percentile
5. Nikoline O'Keefe (7th Grade)- 90th Percentile
6. Beatrice Olney (8th Grade)- Third Place
7. Ethan Sikernitsky (6th Grade)- 90th Percentile
8. Arcadio Torres (8th Grade)- 90th Percentile
9. Madison Walia Peters (8th Grade)- Second Place
10. Morgan Walia Peters (8th Grade)- Second Place

Students received their awards on May 28, recognizing their national achievement.

"Hoboken Middle School is proud of its students and recognizes their academic excellence and efforts throughout this competition," said a release.

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