Three Long Island students were named finalists in the Regeneron Science Talent Search.

Two students from Jericho High School and a third from Saint Anthony's High School represent three of the 40 students selected from around the country for the competition.

Finalists were picked based on their extensive creative research, leadership skills and community involvement.

Seniors Emily Kim and Kevin Zho, of Jericho, were excited and felt lucky to be chosen.

Emily's project is to find a treatment for industrial pollution from the fast fashion industry, and Kevin is investigating the prevalence of cancer and new mutation types of cancer.

Serena McCalla, science research coordinator at Jericho High School, mentored Zho and Kim for three years.

"This is a game-changer. This is a life-changer" McCalla says.

The third Long Island finalist is Miah Margiano.

Miah is the first student from St. Anthony's High School to be a Regeneron finalist in at least 12 years.

She did her research project about neuroblastoma.

Miah was inspired by a friend who died from the disease, and Miah battled high-risk leukemia when she was just 7 years old.

"There's love and passion that I put into my research," Miah says.

Her science research director, Paul Paino, says Miah is one of a kind, smart and compassionate.

The finalists are awarded $25,000 each to be used toward their future college or university.

They will participate in a weeklong competition in March where the top 10 winners will be selected in Washington, D.C.