Riverside Middle School Students Represent Rhode Island in Washington, DC

Riverside Middle School Students attended a competition at the Department of Transportation in Washington, DC in May. Riverside Middle School sent a team of three students to Washington, D.C. on May 10th and 11th to attend a national competition. RMS won a grant with the United States Department of Transportation, and a team of 7th and 8th grade students from RMS was selected to present a research project in Washington, DC on Monday, May 11, 2015. The team submitted a proposal in February, 2015 and their project was chosen to compete at the Mineta Transportation Symposium. The students researched a plan to install solar panel energy to busses and bus stops in order to incorporate sustainable technology for mass transportation.

The team attended a competition at the United States Department of Transportation where they competed with teams from Mississippi, Maryland and California. Each team was given the challenge to present a research project based on sustainable transportation. "Our school did a great job and received praise from many of the participants for their poise and professionalism," said RMS teacher John Marsula.

The RMS team is comprised of Khadija Jana, Alexandra Wolski, (seventh graders) and Pauline Gregory, (eighth grader) along with their coach, John Marsula, Robotics Teacher. Alexandra’s mom, Pamela also attended and served as a chaperone. "The team enjoyed a brief tour of Washington, DC on Sunday, May 10, 2015 and they returned on Monday, May 11th after their presentation. Through the federal grant, our team was awarded the opportunity to travel to Washington, DC including a one-night stay at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill along with meals, air and ground transportation," said Marsula.

"Our team was really well received but we were runners-up to the team from Guntown, Mississippi. I was so proud of our youngsters, they really did a nice job and they were great representatives for our school, city and state," said Marsula.