Eighth Grade Puts in Work at Project Citizen Civics Fair

Lucy Bowles presents her project.

Project Citizen is a hugely

important part of the eighth grade year, an experience that leads our middle schoolers into high school with the heart of both a scholar and a servant.

During their final trimester, all eighth grade students undertake an experiential project aimed to encourage civic engagement. Students select an issue of concern to them and, incorporating their previous coursework at St. Andrew’s, are asked to become experts on their topic, create an actionable plan to improve or solve their issue, and present that plan to the community. They do this by connecting with local community members, interviewing local civic leaders, and much more.

On May 5, eighth graders presented their projects at the Civics Fair, which spanned a staggering array of topics. Both students and faculty were so proud of the research and work that went into these projects, and the eighth graders gained a valuable understanding of their lives as active, engaged, and well-informed citizens. On the next pages, you’ll find the topics that each eighth grader focused on -- ask them about their topic when you see one of these students!

ABOVE: Sloan Golson with her project on sleep deprivation in students. BELOW: Eighth graders sharing their research and knowledge in Dell Hall.

■ Representation in Children’s Literature - Lucy Bowles ■ Austin’s Land Development Code - Elis James ■ Insulin Affordability - Parker Hall ■ The Effects of Pay to Play Sports - Liam Metschan ■ Bacteria and Pollution in Shoal Creek - Laila Antonini ■ Gentrification in Austin - Annika Rathouz ■ Treatment of Immigrants in Texas Detention Facilities - Nia Trevillion ■ When School Is Out: Child Hunger in the Summer - Aydan Key ■ Women In Tech - Andrea Osteicoechea ■ Rural Healthcare in Texas - Maximus Nguyen ■ Genetic Research for Heart Disease - Martina Faini ■ LGBTQ Bullying and Suicide - Bea de Montfort Walker ■ Lack of LGBTQ Education - McAlpine Kirkland ■ Medical Marijuana - Brooks Tolany ■ Sleep Schedules’ Effects on Student Stress & Academics - Sloan Golson ■ Student Mental Health Issues During COVID Giulia Faini ■ Preventative Care for Colon Cancer - Joseph Emmett ■ Improvement of Children’s Literacy - Sofia Wesbecher ■ Storage of Renewable Energy - Xander Gilson ■ Homelessness in Austin - Caroline Goldman ■ The Effects of Chronic Wasting Disease in Texas - Andrew Nelson ■ Transportation Mobility in Austin - Wyatt Torres ■ Segregation in Austin - Coco Malina ■ Supporting Austin Musicians - Ava Hanners ■ Cybersecurity Issues with Companies in Texas - Collin Hayes ■ Access to Mental Healthcare Support in Texas - Carrie Beth Hempfling ■ Euthanization in Texas Animal Shelters - Emme Orchid ■ Rising Cybersecurity Threat During the Pandemic - Nate Howard ■ Cost of Non-Allergenic Foods - Major Jaimes ■ Are Schools Effectively Preparing Students for Their Future? - Grace Berry ■ COVID’s Effects on Special Education Students - Zain Osborne ■ Blue-Green Algae & Zebra Mussels in Lady Bird Lake - Zaina Khattary ■ Triploid Grass Carp in Lake Austin - Luke McGrath ■ Food Insecurity in Austin, TX - Ashton Knisely ■ Pay to Play Sports for Lower-Income Families Max Chasen ■ Mental Effects of Imposter Syndrome in the Workplace - Cassia Lee ■ Stock Market Manipulation - Marcus McWilliams ■ The ADHD Iceberg - Bo Carpenter ■ Gerrymandering: What To Do - Luke Paddock ■ Lack of School Choice in Lower-Income Districts - Rase Mast ■ Animal Homelessness in Austin - Finn McGehee ■ Cryptocurrency & Security - Michael Willi ■ Unequal Access to Technology in AISD During COVID-19 - Harper Luthy ■ Dreamer Experience in Texas’ Schools Cawthra Burns ■ Effects of Social Deprivation on Adolescent Development - Jake Near ■ Mental Health Education in Schools Caroline Simmons ■ Affordability of Organized Youth Sports - Luke Dial ADHD Students - Kaitlyn Zimmermann ■ Child Sex Trafficking in Texas - Fiona Nield ■ Disabled People & Unemployment in Austin Megan Dempsey ■ Food Insecurity in Texas - Hiram Burns ■ Addressing Animal Cruelty in the United States - Hannah Bailey ■ Mental Health Issues for Female Adolescents Josie Powers ■ Gentrification in Austin - Cole Preston ■ Mental & Emotional Abuse in Gymnastics Abigail Simonds ■ Banned Books - Marguerite Shelton ■ Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness - Elisabeth Shanks ■ Cognitive and Developmental Disabilities - James Hill ■ Education on Chronic Illnesses in Children Lark Adrian ■ Effects of COVID on Austin Music Scene Townes Lawrence ■ Brain Injuries in Youth Sports - Roland Sims ■ Criminal Justice Response to Sexual Assault and Survivor Experience - Sonia Singh ■ Alternatives to Standard PET Plastics - Alex Stumpf ■ Management of Austin Landfills - Matthew Sykes ■ Eating Disorder Recovery Centers - Emerson Lee ■ Texas Water: Quality and Rights - Julia Caramelli ■ Gaming Addiction - Abel Castillo ■ COVID & Impact on Local Bars - Aiden Weinheimer ■ Lack of Pediatric Rheumatologists in the US Arden Seifert ■ Funding for Prostate Cancer - Adelle Greenberg ■ S.L.M.P (Student Lunch Nutrition and Production) - Aidan Embestro