MacArthur High School Science Research students Natalia Pszeniczny (12th), Melody Hong (10th), and Sara Duda (9th) took part in the Long Island Brain Bee. Melody was the 3rd place winner of the Bee, which was hosted by Hofstra University Zucker School of Medicine on Saturday March 4th. Created to encourage high school students to learn more about the neurosciences, the annual Brain Bee is highly competitive. "I thank Mr. Zausin and Dr. Friedman for all their efforts in research and for introducing me to the competition. The laboratory component was particularly fascinating. Reading a textbook is one thing, but seeing and touching a human brain specimen is completely different," Melody Hong stated.

During the competition, students first take a written test of multiple choice questions on brain facts. Then they take a test to identify anatomical structures and functions in real human brain specimens. Following the laboratory examination, participants had lunch and conversed with current undergraduates and medical students, in addition to physicians, scientists, and professors who are experts in brain biology.