Deer Park High School alumni Jasleen Kaur and Brandon Yasin earned a rare perfect score on the college-level Advanced Placement Research Exam in spring 2021. They are in select company, being two of only 375 students in the world who earned a perfect score on this exam.
Kaur, the valedictorian of the Class of 2021, earned every point possible on the AP Research Exam. Her research identified a new process using soxhlet extraction and transesterification to create biodiesel from waste avocado pits and successfully produced usable biodiesel. Kaur is currently studying physics at Harvard University.
“From the planning stages to the lab work, it was always a rewarding experience working with Jasleen,” said physics and chemistry teacher Ted Smirlis, her expert adviser. “Her research highlights the need for further investigation into overlooked and often discarded biomasses that can be used to extract usable biodiesel. Such fuel oils are great candidates to supplement our nation’s fuel supply to reduce our dependency of foreign oil and eliminate any future oil shortages.”
Yasin, a top 20 graduate of the Class of 2021, also earned a perfect score on the AP Research Exam. His yearlong project looked at the stigmatization of mental health in the Indo-Guyanese community and its influence on the relationship between immigrant parents and their American-born adolescent children. Yasin is currently studying engineering at the University of Pittsburgh.
Both Kaur and Yasin were part of Deer Park High School’s inaugural cohort of 24 students receiving the College Board’s AP Capstone Diploma. Students earned this great distinction by completing AP Seminar, AP Research and a minimum of four additional AP exams scoring a 3 or higher on all.
“In the entirety of my educating career, this particular cohort of AP Research students were truly outstanding,” AP Research teacher Andrea Farina said. “Due to the pandemic, they had to overcome more obstacles than most during their last few years of high school. Jasleen and Brandon embody what it means to be highly-motivated, self-driven students who spend extensive time ensuring they will attain nothing short of excellence. I am so proud of them for achieving such an honor within our inaugural year of the AP Research program and look forward to all of their future successes."
“I couldn’t be prouder of both our staff and students during the establishment of the AP Capstone program at Deer Park High School,” Curriculum Associate for Science and Technology Alison Branca-Peterson said. “This has truly been a community effort. Our students received support from a number of science teachers who took advisership roles using their scientific expertise, while AP Seminar teachers, PPS staff and the administrative team also helped our students and the program become what it is today.”
Date Added: 2/18/2022