Taft Elementary School fifth graders participate in a heart health study

Fifth grade students at Taft Elementary got their blood pumping Monday morning while participating in a special heart health study led by Washingtonville High School junior Sophia Zupancic. As a member of the Syracuse University Project Advance (SUPA) program, Sophia is conducting research aimed at improving heart screening processes for young athletes.

SUPA is a three year program that typically begins sophomore year, though juniors and seniors are welcome to join. Participants acquire valuable college and career readiness skills by engaging with the same curriculum, objectives and assessment methods used at Syracuse University.

The Science Research program is overseen by WHS teacher Renae Comulada-Vonderheide, who guides students through the development and execution of rigorous scientific research projects to be presented during their senior year.

Sophia’s research focuses on the differences in heartbeats between children and adults, particularly concerning the T-wave, which is part of the heart’s rhythm visible on an EKG. By measuring the variability in T-wave lengths before and after exercise in both groups, she aims to identify patterns that could predict a greater risk of sudden cardiac events in young athletes.

“The heart health of student athletes tends to be overlooked,” Sophia said. “They’re one of the highest-risk groups for sudden cardiac arrest, and we need to understand why.”

During gym class, fifth graders from Raymond Taylor and Michelle Zupancic’s class helped Sophia collect important data for her study. The activity began with a mindful moment led by their PE instructor, allowing students to reach a resting state before recording their heart rates using EKG monitors.

Afterwards, students completed one minute of cardio before taking a second EKG reading. SUPA students assisted by recording the data and noting the gender of each participant — variables Sophia will use to enhance the statistical significance of her results.

“This project specifically is targeted at making a case for early intervention and screening for heart health among young people,” Ms. Comulada-Vonderheide said. “We’re eager to see what the data reveals.”

Sophia and her team will return to Taft this week to continue data collection with additional classes, aiming for a sample size of 75 to 100 students. She plans to present her findings at the STEM Fair on April 29.