Carmel Partners with Stanford University Step-Up Program
Evelyn Manzanarez ’23
Jacob Delos Reyes ’23
Rogelio Vargas ’23
Che’Nyeah Bates ’23
Amira Kareem ’23
Alessandra Gonzalez ’23
Since the start of the 2020-21 school year, six Carmel Catholic students, Amira Kareem ’23, Rogelio Vargas ’23, Alessandra Gonzalez ’23, Jacob Delos Reyes ’23, Che’Nyeah Bates ’23, and Evelyn Manzanarez ’23, have been participating in a novel pilot program designed to mentor young, underrepresented persons in science. The Kickstarter Student Research program is an offshoot of the long-standing Step Up Short Term Research Program for Underrepresented Persons funded by NIH, directed by Dr. Bonnie Halpern Felscher, Ph.D. of Stanford University, and coordinated by Sheila McLaughlin of Stanford University. Students from Carmel Catholic were chosen to participate virtually, along with students from Como Park Senior High School in St. Paul, Minnesota. Students began the year by talking about problems they were concerned about in the world around them and then using that interest to develop a research question for which they designed the methodology and collected data in hopes of gathering information that might help them to better understand their questions and use their findings to change the future. 6
“The program opened my eyes to the real world of science,” commented Rogelio Vargas. “It can be challenging for those who may not have a taste for it; but for someone who does, it’s fun. Definitely opened my eyes towards a career in science.” As part of the program, students met and talked with many professors, alumni, and business and community leaders. “I really enjoyed the Step-Up Program. It introduced me to so many really interesting people that I never would have met otherwise,” remarked Amira.
