The
research
from
a
science
project
started
by
two
Charles
J.
Colgan
Sr.
High
School
students,
Tony
Bright
and
Arman
Lateef,
while
they
were
in
middle
school,
is
now
published
in
the
"Journal
of
Emerging
Investigators"
(JEI).
JEI
is
a
peer-reviewed
scientific
journal
that
publishes
original
research
in
the
biological
and
physical
sciences.
Their
project
entitled,
"From
Waste
to
Wealth:
Making
Millivolts
from
Microbes,"
focuses
on
alternatives
to
producing
clean
energy
while
purifying
environmental
waste.
Using
creek
mud,
Bright
and
Lateef
engineered
microbial
fuel
cells
to
produce
energy.
Their
research
highlights
the
possibilities
of
biofuels
to
reduce
reliance
on
non-renewable
energy
sources
while
also
protecting
the
environment.
"It
has
been
a
continued
aspiration
of
mine
to
work
within
our
community
of
Prince
William
County
to
do
the
work
that
will
benefit
everyone's
health,"
said
Bright.
"We
all
want
and
need
to
breathe
clean
air
and
I
want
to
do
my
part
for
today
and
the
future,"
he
added.
"A
healthy
environment
means
better
human
health,"
shared
Lateef.
Their
commitment
to
protecting
the
environment
resulted
in
the
students
forming
Healthy
Environments
Advance
Life
(HEAL),
a
non-profit
organization
that
engages
and
educates
young
students
on
how
the
environment
affects
human
life.
Both
Bright
and
Lateef
credit
their
education
in
PWCS
with
instilling
their
love
of
science.
"Our
science
endeavors
were
energized
in
middle
school
extended
science
curriculum
with
our
science
teacher
and
mentor
Mrs.
Debra
Peterman
of
Benton
Middle
School,"
said
Bright.
"I
am
so
grateful
to
my
teachers
Mrs.
Peterman
at
Benton
Middle
and
Mrs.
Brown
at
Colgan
High
School,"
added
Lateef.
"It
has
been
exciting
to
complete
and
publish
this
research
which
we
started
while
in
middle
school."
Colgan
High
biology
teacher,
Stephanie
Brown,
says
she's
proud
of
her
students'
accomplishments.
"Both
of
these
young
men
are
fantastic
students,
but
more
importantly,
they
are
fantastic
scientists,"
Brown
said.
"[I]
can't
wait
to
see
what
their
future
holds."
Bright
and
Lateef
are
sophomores
at
Colgan,
where
they
continue
to
pursue
science,
technology,
engineering,
and
math
(STEM)
courses.
They
both
plan
to
attend
college
and
pursue
an
advanced
education
in
science
and
engineering.