Middle school seventh grader, Nicholas Vernice, was selected as one of the top five State winners for his entry in the New York Water Environment Association/New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Poster Contest (NYWEA/NYSDEC) held during the organizations' 2009 conference in NYC. The contest received 235 posters from 27 middle and high schools across the state illustrating this year's theme: "The Importance of Wastewater Treatment."

As a winner in this year's contest, Nicholas was presented with an engraved plaque and a check for $25 from NYWEA representatives. Pictured here are (front row, left to right) Nayeem Baksh, who received a participation certificate for his entry, NYS winner Nicholas Vernice, participant James Reilly; (back row, left to right): science coordinator Gail Bennington, middle school assistant principal William Marr, NYWEA representatives Joseph Baader and Dennis Koehler, and middle school science research teacher Paraskevy Zaferiou.