Some of the world’s greatest scientists – Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Aristotle – started their work as teenagers. This fact, pointing to the potential of young minds, isn’t lost on the University of Missouri–St. Louis, which is why UMSL celebrated more than 50 of the region’s best junior-level high school science students.

Recognized for their good grades, talent and success in the sciences, the students received the Distinguished Achievement Award for Excellence in Science from UMSL’s College of Arts and Sciences. The dinner and presentation ceremony took place Feb. 25 in the Millennium Student Center.

Attendees, including parents and teachers, were treated to a reading from UMSL’s poet laureate as well as a performance by the UMSL Jazz Combo. They also heard from keynote speaker Ron Yasbin, dean of the college, and Chancellor Tom George.

See below for the full list of the 2016 honorees.

Affton High School
Jeffrey Au

Althoff Catholic High School
Henry Jansen

Alton High School
James Steinman

Cardinal Ritter College Preparatory
Nautica Little

Christian Brothers College High School
Matthew John Schulz

Clayton High School
Nicholas Lee

Cleveland Junior Naval Academy
Daisha Carrawell

Clyde C. Miller Career Academy
Jerry Crews

Collinsville High School
Emily Hendricks

Crossroads College Preparatory
Callista Martin

Festus High School
Braden Shular

Francis Howell High School
Leah Amos

Francis Howell North High School
James Dohrman

Fort Zumwalt North High School
Joseph Cassidy

Fox Senior High School
Kortni D’Andrea

Gateway Stem High School
Rebecca Harrington

Jefferson High School
Brendan Reese

Lutheran High School North
Matthew Zeuschel

Maplewood Richmond Heights
Mia Rintoul

Mary Institute And Saint Louis Country Day School
Andrew Krause

Marquette High School
Shane Whitehead

Marquette Catholic High School
Faith Griffin

Mehlville High School
Elizabeth Hong

Mccluer South-Berkeley High School
Trevon Brown

Nerinx Hall High School
Kristina Inman

Northwest High School
Patrick Collins

Northwestern High School
Lucas Motley

Notre Dame High School
Sydney Boland

Orchard Farm High School
Will Runion

Rockwood Summit High School
Neha Gupta

St. Charles High School
Karen Ye

St. Charles West High School
Jacob Larson

Saint Francis Borgia Regional High School
Ryan McDermott

Soldan International Studies High School
Teraya Marble

Soldan International Studies High School
Ngoc Nguyen

Southwestern High School
Stephanie Eva Korte

Steelville High School
Kyle Bean

St. Dominic High School
Jacob Luebbers

St. John Vianney High School
Tyler Dreiling

St. Joseph’s Academy
Anissa Bernardez

St. Louis University High School
Daniel Wagner

St. Mary’s High School
Dan Ranciglio

Ste. Genevieve High School
Dylan Burr

Triad High School
Lauren Pingsterhaus

Troy Buchanan High School
Alyssa Higgins

Union High School
Jessica Kelly

Ursuline Academy
Alexandria Schomaker

Vashon High School
Tomisha Miller

Villa Duchesne And Oak Hill School
Harper Wieldt

Visitation Academy
Ferguson Beardsley

Warrenton High School
Macie Sommer

Washington High School
Scott Klein

Wentzville Holt High School
Aimee Aubuchon

Whitfield School
Zachary Taylor