Press Releases

PA Cyber Senior Wins STEM Award at NAACP Academic Olympics

Sep 16, 2021

Midland, PA—Madison Stokes, a 17-year-old high school senior, earned a bronze medal in the STEM: Medicine and Health category at the NAACP ACT-SO national competition last July. ACT-SO stands for Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics and recognizes excellence in young leaders. At this annual event, high schoolers compete against each other across 32 categories.

Last spring, Stokes won a gold medal at the ACT-SO regionals near her hometown in Harrisburg, which was her ticket to nationals. She has advanced and competed in the STEM: Medicine and Health category at nationals three times. This year, Stokes’ hard work and persistence paid off, and she took home a national award. She plans to compete in the STEM category in her final year as a senior. “I can see that I’m always improving. I’m always growing and thinking about how I can take it a step further,” says Stokes.

In her award-wining science project titled “The Effect of Sleep on a Student’s GPA,” she concluded that her fellow high school students were willing to stay up later to finish schoolwork to achieve a higher GPA. “I love that I am able to ask a scientific question and figure out an answer using quantitative and qualitative data,” she says.

Stokes plans to pursue a career in neuropsychology, which will enable her to explore her interest in science and research. “I can further my passion for science by taking classes at PA Cyber that in the future will help me succeed in my career,” she says.

PA Cyber CEO Brian Hayden says, “We are very proud of Madison’s accomplishments. She continues to impress us, both in and outside of school.”

For the full story about Stokes’ ACT-SO award, please visit https://bit.ly/3hAfmdd.