Paulsboro, New Jersey – The Gibbstown and Paulsboro Community Advisory Panel (GAPCAP) has recognized nine local students for their entries in the 14^th Annual Essay & Poster Contest. Students provided their views on the theme of the GAPCAP’s 2020 contest, “What is the Future of Science?” The participants envisioned possibilities such as litter lasers, 3D printed organs, and a speed helmet.

Students from Paulsboro and Gibbstown schools were invited to submit essays with accompanying posters to illustrate their views of the next critical area in need of scientific research, innovation, or breakthrough to shape our future. The always-popular GAPCAP contest received more than 400 entries this year.

Lyla Ray, a second-grade student from Broad Street Elementary School in Gibbstown, believes robots could be used to keep things clean. “I think we need a robot that picks up trash so communities will be cleaner. It will look so nice not to have trash on the ground. The robot will clean up glass so people don’t get hurt. I will program it to clean up what needs to be cleaned up,” she said in her entry. Lyla received a second-place win in the K-2 category.

For his third-place finish in the K-2 category, second-grade student Nolan Forlano, who also attends Broad Street Elementary, wrote about the need for electric paper. “Electric paper is going to be paper/iPad. That will save the trees from falling down. We will have more oxygen. We will also have more birds and on a really, really hot day we will have more shade. This is why I think we should have electric paper.”

In previous years, the GAPCAP and its sponsoring companies hosted a recognition dinner for the contest winners and their families. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the students received their awards in their classrooms this year. Each student who submitted a winning essay and poster received a certificate of achievement, along with a Barnes & Noble gift card from the GAPCAP.

Winners of this year’s competition are:

Grades K-2:

1st place:  Connor Moore (Guardian Angels School, Gibbstown Campus), Litter Laser

2nd place: Lyla Ray (Broad Street Elementary School), Robots

3rd place:  Nolan Forlano (Broad Street Elementary School), Electric Paper   

Grades 3-5:

1st place:  Eduardo Rosa-Rodriguez (Broad Street Elementary School), Nanobots

2nd place:  Raegan Kazmierski (Broad Street Elementary School), 3D Printed Organs

3rd place:  Liam Robles (Broad Street Elementary School), Special Car Covers

Grades 6-8:

1st place:  Mia Granroth (Nehaunsey Middle School), Gene Therapy

2nd place:  Kristine Gonzales (Nehaunsey Middle School), Bionic Parts

3rd place:  Christopher Sharp (Nehaunsey Middle School), Speed Helmet

Themes from the competition’s previous years include Science to the Rescue, Catalysts, Inventions, STEAM, and Celebration of Chemistry.

Photo Caption, GAPCAP C. Moore: Connor Moore, a second-grader at Guardian Angels School, Gibbstown Campus, received a certificate of achievement and a Barnes & Noble gift card for his first-place win in the K-2 grade group of the Gibbstown and Paulsboro Community Advisory Panel (GAPCAP) 14th Annual Essay & Poster Contest. School Principal, Sr. Jerilyn Einstein, FMIJ, made the presentation.

Photo Caption: GAPCAP L. Ray: Lyla Ray, a second-grader at Broad Street Elementary School (Gibbstown), shows off her certificate of achievement for her second-place win in the K-2 grade group of the Gibbstown and Paulsboro Community Advisory Panel (GAPCAP) 14th Annual Essay & Poster Contest. Lyla also received a Barnes & Noble gift card.                                       

About the Gibbstown and Paulsboro Community Advisory Panel

The Gibbstown and Paulsboro Community Advisory Panel (GAPCAP) was organized in 1993 to promote open and ongoing dialogue between local industry and the community. Member companies currently represented on the CAP include PBF Logistics – CPI Operations, ExxonMobil Paulsboro Lubricants Plant, Paulsboro Refining Company, and PBF Logistics Product Terminal.

# # #