Students from the Spring Branch Academic Institute (SBAI) were recognized for their exceptional achievements in science, engineering, and history during the April SBISD Board of Trustees meeting.
SBAI Director Patricia Kassir, along with members of the SBAI team, honored students for their academic success at high-profile competitions, including the Science and Engineering Fair of Houston and National History Day. The Science and Engineering Fair of Houston serves as the regional competition for junior and senior high school students across Harris County and 22 surrounding counties.
Science and Engineering Achievements
SBAI students earned awards at this year’s regional science fair:
Justin Tai, a junior, was recognized for his development of a haptic glove designed to replicate realistic textures in virtual reality environments.
Stephanie Shen, also a junior, earned honors for creating an affordable, automated waste-sorting system using Raspberry Pi and open-source machine learning tools.
Aditya Mandke, a ninth grader, received an Honorable Mention for his technical paper in medicine and health, which explored potential treatments for Lewy body disorders.
Aria Allen, a sixth grader, won first place in Environmental Engineering and was awarded “Best of State” in Physical Sciences. Out of more than 22,000 projects submitted statewide, her work ranked in the top two and earned her an invitation to the prestigious Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge.
Lyana Yu, also in sixth grade, received the 2025 Amentum Science Explorer Award and the Nova Spotlight Award from the North Houston Chapter of the National Space Society for her project.
National History Day Success
SBAI students also excelled in the Junior Division of the National History Day competition:
Kyle Amor and Arthur Jainsky placed first in Group Documentary for their project on the Geneva Conventions and their role during times of war, advancing to the state competition.
Sara Roy and Anne Larrabee took third place in Group Website for their project on the influence of media on public perception.
Zaid Sakkal earned third place in Individual Website for his project on the 1948 Nakba and its continuing impact on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
A Commitment to Excellence
“These students have represented their families, our school, and our district with distinction,” said SBAI Director Patricia Kassir. “Their achievements reflect the strength of the partnerships among our teachers, parents, and community.”
The Spring Branch Academic Institute (SBAI) remains dedicated to providing specialized academic programming for gifted students in grades K-12, preparing them to succeed in a dynamic and competitive world.