- Academics
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- Sage Ridge Spotlight
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Scorpion Beatrice Liwanag ‘26, an aspiring pediatric cardiologist, has combined her love for biology and her pageantry skills to achieve national recognition. Competing at the 2024 National American Miss (NAM) Nationals in Orlando, on Nov. 22-Dec. 1, she won the prestigious “I Am International Camille Schrier STEM Award” for the Junior Teen Division.
Liwanag qualified for Nationals after her outstanding performance at her first-ever pageant in July in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she earned 2nd Runner-Up for Miss Nevada Junior Teen and a long list of accolades.
“It was an honor to be able to compete with 120 other girls for the title of National All-American Miss Junior Teen,” Liwanag said. “There were many contests besides the title competition that were open for contestants to join. I found out that the pageant had a STEM contest, and I thought it was a wonderful way to pursue my own independent research project.”
Supported by Sage Ridge AP Biology teacher and alumnus Mr. Kyle Tanguay ‘11, Liwanag conducted a bacterial plasmid transformation lab for her STEM project submission. The experiment involved using jellyfish DNA that codes for a UV-light reactive protein called Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). This DNA segment was “transformed” into E. coli bacteria, and after growing the genetically modified bacteria on agar plates containing selective media (nutrition for bacterial growth combined with antibiotics that only bacteria with the new genes could resist), they successfully produced bacterial colonies that glowed under UV light.
This lab showcased a common genetic engineering technique used by scientists today, such as in the production of synthetic insulin—a modern, cost-effective method replacing older practices like extracting bovine insulin.
“It has always been my ambition to study cellular biology in college,” Liwanag said. “I met with Mr. Tanguay over the course of a couple weeks to go over the logistics of the lab and perform it. It was exciting being able to grow bacteria and learn more about how genetic engineering actually works! This lab has given me the opportunity to not only learn about the topic but also become accustomed to helpful real-life procedures such as lab safety and keeping positive and negative controls. It has also strengthened my desire to pursue a medical degree as I hope to work towards being a pediatric cardiologist. I am truly grateful to Mr. Tanguay for his support, especially sacrificing his time during and after school for this project.”
Mr. Tanguay noted how Beatrice’s project benefited both her and her classmates.
“Bea's participation in this project has been extremely helpful in helping her, and the entire AP Biology class, better understand the principles of experimental design,” Mr. Tanguay said. “During Bea's experiment, she set up a 'negative control,' basically a way of determining if her experimental setup was as she expected (i.e. if she managed to successfully implant the desired jellyfish genes into the bacteria). The negative control was a parallel condition, where she still incubated bacteria, but without the jellyfish genes. If the selective media plates were made properly, the negative control would show no growth of bacteria without the implanted genes. We saw growth, which allowed us to stop the experiment and restart before wasting more time or resources. The use of negative controls is essential to ensure that experimental data is telling us what we think it is telling us, and Bea's direct experience using controls to improve her experimental results has helped her better understand experimental design. She has taken this experience into classroom discussions, and everyone's understanding has benefitted as a result.”
Click here to watch Liwanag’s video submission to NAM!
Liwanag's achievement demonstrates how passion and perseverance can lead to extraordinary opportunities. Congratulations, Beatrice, on representing Reno and Sage Ridge with brilliance on the national stage!
