Pennridge High School students Chloe Benner, Ananya Bhatt and Surabhi Gupta received national NASA recognition for their participation in the NASA Drop Tower Challenge of 2025. (Courtesy of David Thomas)
Team CAS created a design that successfully spun in NASA water tanks simulating microgravity and placed third nationally
Pennridge High School students Chloe Benner, Ananya Bhatt and Surabhi Gupta, known collectively as Team CAS (their three first initials), have earned national recognition for their scientific ingenuity and were invited to present their work at the 2025 American Society for Gravitational and Space Research Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
“I am very proud of these outstanding students for putting Pennridge on the national stage through their innovation and scholarship,” said Pennridge Superintendent Dr. Angelo Berrios in a news release. “Their success with NASA shows what can happen when students are trusted to lead real-world STEM research and think beyond our classrooms. Chloe, Ananya, and Surabhi are powerful examples for younger students, especially females in STEM. My sincere thanks as well to Ms. Thomas, whose mentorship and belief in students helped make this achievement possible.”
Their journey began with the NASA Drop Tower Challenge of 2025, a highly competitive program that tasked students with designing a paddle wheel capable of rotating in water under microgravity conditions without the use of motors, mechanical force, or chemical reactions. Instead, motion had to be generated solely through hydrophobic and hydrophilic surface properties. Two Pennridge teams, among dozens nationwide, were accepted into the challenge after submitting an extensive proposal, said a Pennridge School District press release.
After hours of before and after-school brainstorming, research, and collaboration, Team CAS proposed an innovative solution using the capillary action of sponges to generate propulsion in a microgravity environment. Their idea was recognized by NASA and ASGSR officials for its “creativity, scientific rigor, and elegant simplicity.”
From October 2024 through May 2025, the team experienced a full research cycle rarely available to high school students. Both Pennridge teams had their proposals accepted by NASA, two of only 23 nationwide. They constructed prototypes, tested them in NASA laboratories, and authored academic research papers.
Team CAS created a design that successfully spun in NASA water tanks simulating microgravity and placed third nationally. This achievement led directly to their invitation to attend the ASGSR Conference, one of the world’s premier forums for gravitational and space research, but it was their “elegant simplicity” that earned them a spot as presenters.
Pennridge High School students Chloe Benner, Ananya Bhatt and Surabhi Gupta, known collectively as Team CAS, placed third nationally in NASA’s Drop Tower Challenge of 2025. (Courtesy of David Thomas)At ASGSR, Team CAS presented their research alongside university students, doctoral candidates, engineers, and professional scientists. They participated in advanced scientific sessions and engaged with experts across the space science community, including NASA researchers and industry professionals, said the release.
For three high school seniors and three young women, this experience represented meaningful visibility in spaces where women remain underrepresented. For Pennridge senior Chloe Benner, the conference marked a powerful introduction to professional scientific environments.
“I had hardly ever been in professional settings where you have to explain your ideas to people unfamiliar with your research,” Benner said. “Networking and learning about other careers helped me learn how to interact with professionals.”
She added that responding to questions in real time strengthened her confidence and expanded her understanding of possible career pathways.
Pennridge School Board President, Carolyn Sciarrino also sees the overall long-term value for these students.
“Their NASA‑recognized research and ASGSR presentation is an inspiring example of Pennridge excellence,” said Sciarrino. “It exemplifies student-led rigor and shows young women thriving in advanced STEM. As a board, we are proud to honor their achievement and are committed to expanding opportunities so more students can follow their path.”
The overall experience also broadened the students’ understanding of space science.
“Space exploration is not just about building rockets,” Benner said. “There is so much biology and chemistry behind astronaut safety.”
Team CAS and their Gifted and Enrichment teacher and mentor, SueEllen Thomas, attended sessions exploring biological systems in microgravity and advanced physics concepts, including quantum phenomena. Reflecting on the experience, Thomas shared her pride in the students’ growth and presence on the national stage, said the release.
“As their advisor, I was incredibly proud to watch these students confidently engage with nationally recognized NASA scientists and realize that their work truly belongs in those spaces,” said Thomas. “They represented our community with professionalism, curiosity, and joy at every moment, and seeing their excitement, along with their recognition as one of the top teams in the nation, was unforgettable and affirmed just how bright their futures are.”
Pennridge’s Dr. Jennifer Bloom, Director of Teaching and Learning, agrees.
“These students remind us why representation in STEM matters so deeply,” said Bloom. “Their success is not only a personal achievement but a powerful message to other girls across Pennridge that they belong in advanced science, engineering, and technology spaces. We are incredibly proud of how they represent our district and even more excited about the doors they are opening for themselves and others.”
Chloe Benner, Ananya Bhatt and Surabhi Gupta present their design to a physics attendant. (Courtesy of David Thomas)A highlight of the conference included an unexpected opportunity to share dinner at the welcome reception with a former Chief Engineer of the International Space Station, along with distinguished guests and astronauts from private rocket launch companies like Blue Origin, and other dignitaries who signed autographs between conversations with the Pennridge group.
The students described more than an hour of candid discussions about engineering challenges, teamwork, and the realities of space exploration. During their presentation, they met with representatives from NASA and NASA-connected industries, receiving thoughtful feedback on their work. Their professionalism and curiosity helped them form ongoing academic and professional connections, said the release.
“We were able to meet quantum physicists, representatives from NASA, and space technology companies,” said Benner. “The opportunity to present in front of these scientists and get their feedback was invaluable.”
As a result of their participation, the three Pennridge High School seniors were offered access to resources and mentorship opportunities that will support their continued growth as young scientists.
“Just the fact that these engineers and space company representatives know our names opens so many doors,” Benner added, and as fellow team member Surabhi Gupta noted, “This can inspire other girls to see themselves in STEM too.”
Gupta explained that their experience extends beyond technical success.
“Team CAS represents something larger. It is a visible challenge to persistent gender gaps in STEM fields,” said Gupta. “Nationally, women remain significantly underrepresented in engineering, physics, and technology-related careers. That disparity often begins long before college, shaped by perceptions about who belongs in advanced STEM spaces and who does not. For Team CAS, our success shows those perceptions can be rewritten.”
The team expressed pride in knowing their work may inspire other girls to raise their hands in class, enroll in advanced STEM courses or pursue opportunities they might otherwise overlook, said the release.
