LITTLETON — Superintendent Dr. Kelly Clenchy is proud to announce that Littleton High School junior Anika Jacob has been selected as a Fall 2024 Marjot Foundation Scholar for her research project on the effects of environmental concentrations of caffeine on the neurobehavioral and neurobiological development of zebrafish embryos.
The Marjot Foundation, founded in 1998, has supported more than 100 environmental high school science fair projects in New England and New York. Many Scholars have gone on to win top awards at the state and international level.
Jacob will receive a grant award totaling $5,000. She will receive $1,000 directly, split into $500 at the beginning of her research project and $500 upon completion. $2,500 is allotted to cover the costs of the project. An additional $1,000 will be given to her mentor, LHS Biology Teacher, STEM Research Program Coordinator and District 6-12 Science Curriculum Coordinator Valerie Finnerty. The LHS science department will also receive $500.
The Foundation’s generous support of Jacob’s project will allow her to conduct research at a much higher level. She has planned to purchase a fluorescence microscope.
Jacob has conducted independent science research since she was in seventh grade at Littleton Middle School. This is the third year that she is researching the effects of environmental caffeine on the growth and development of organisms.
Jacob has competed in the Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fairs (MSEF) competition for the past two years, both regionally and at the state level. In her first year, she earned a third-place award and the Massachusetts Chemistry & Technology Alliance (MCTA) Award at the state fair. In her sophomore year, her project was awarded an Honorable Mention and was also selected out of more than 300 to be honored with the Pauline J. LaMarche Memorial Award, which is given to a project that displays excellence in design and implementation.
“Anika exemplifies what it means to be ambitious, determined, and passionate. Her continued commitment to her research, and her proven success at the MSEF competitions, make her a wonderful role model for younger students,” said Superintendent Clenchy. “We are so proud of Anika for receiving this honor, and we cannot wait to see what she accomplishes in the future.”
Littleton High School students — including Jacob — will be participating in the MSEF Region IV competition at Tufts University on March 7, 2025. Eligible projects at the regional level will be presented at the state fair on April 4, 2025, at Gillette Stadium.
