July 2024
2024 JoYS
Summer rundown
JoYS: Our 2024 edition of the Journal of Young Scientists is complete and being printed for distribution! Above is the cover of the journal which includes original art, photos, and figures created by students in our Life as a Scientist program. The cover was made by Dr. Maxi Strobl who is a postdoctoral researcher at the Cleveland Clinic and a Rise Up Teaching Fellow. His research integrates mathematical modeling and laboratory experiments to understand how the ecosystem in and around a tumor changes during treatment, and how we can change drug scheduling to make therapy more effective. You can view more of Maxi’s scientific artwork here.
This year’s journal includes 25 student led research articles that mark the culmination of their year long group research projects. The journal also includes several editorials written by local scientists and teaching partners working with Rise Up. We are so proud of the work done by these young scholars and can’t wait to share it with you all!
ODA camp: We were thrilled to host over 250 young students (photos below) at Monticello Middle School during our ongoing partnership with Open Doors Academy! We worked with rising 1st- 6th graders during the month of July in a classroom setting. The students learned about cells, organs, and DNA from local scientists, conducted a DNA extraction, and interacted with pipettes, microscopes, etc. at our mock lab bench. It was a great experience for students and gave us the opportunity to reach a younger set of science enthusiasts. Hopefully this opened up their minds to the endless possibilities in science and they continue to ask questions about the world around them. We are all scientists when we follow and explore our curiosities!
Fundraising: During the month of August we will be running our “Back to School” fundraising campaign. Each week we will be posting about our programming with examples of items that you can help sponsor. Our organization relies on the generosity of individuals believing that all students deserve a world class science education. Follow us on social media and stay tuned for ways to support!
Summer board meeting: On July 23rd our leadership team met to discuss the future of Rise Up. Our team is proud of the work that was done this past year and is energized by the possibilities that lie ahead. We had some changes in leadership within our Board. Dr. Paul Tesar will take over as Board Chair, Kate Perhay will move from Board Secretary to Vice Chair, Mary McFadden will take over the role of Treasurer, and Charles Burger will become Board Secretary. Thank you and congratulations to these dedicated members of our organization.
Summer internships: Our 5th and final Rise Up Scholar, Kamyris Perez, began her summer work program at Case Western. Kamyris is a rising junior at Garrett Morgan School of Engineering and Innovation who completed our Life as a Scientist program this past year. She will be working in Dr. Drew Adam’s lab where they study the cellular mechanisms of bioactive small molecules, and use high throughput screening and organic synthesis to identify and optimize new drug-like molecules. We will share more about her experience in the lab next month!
Young scholars working with the mock lab bench
Grant funding
Rise Up was recently approved for grant funding support from the Reinberger Foundation! These grant funds will give us the ability to continue providing world class science experiences to students in Cleveland. Reinberger is a family foundation in Cleveland with the mission to help underserved individuals move toward self-sufficiency as well as to provide opportunities for enrichment in the communities they serve. Since the Reinberger Foundation began funding in 1970, over $125,000,000 has been distributed to the nonprofit community. We are honored to be included in this remarkable legacy and would like to extend our most sincere thanks and appreciation to the Foundation for believing in our work.
We also receive funding from the Cleveland Foundation and the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation. Rise Up programing relies on this grant support and we would not be able to function at current levels without their generous backing of our mission. However, heavy reliance on grant funding in not sustainable for growth. We need dedicated individuals who are willing to invest in the future of students in Cleveland. Click here to learn more and please consider supporting us in anyway possible!
Our newest funder
Volunteer Spotlight
Read about one of our many dedicated and talented volunteers, Kayla Klatt! Kayla is an MD-PhD student at Case Western Reserve University studying the effects of CAR-T therapy in models of autoimmune disease and cancer.
Kayla Klatt
Tell us something you enjoy doing in your free time!
My mom’s family is Italian, and one of my favorite things to do in my free time is cook Italian food – my favorite dish to make is pesto gnocchi.
How did you get started volunteering with Rise Up?
Prior to moving to Cleveland, I volunteered with an organization called Higher Achievement Baltimore where I mentored middle school students and helped to expose them to opportunities in higher education. When I heard about Rise Up through my colleagues at CWRU, I was motivated to continue engaging in similar work.
What's your favorite aspect of volunteering?
Building relationships with the students and watching their curiosities grow throughout the course of their projects.
What motivates you to give back to the community?
I value increasing all types of diversity in academia and science. Volunteering with Rise Up is the perfect way to help young students of all backgrounds become exposed to and excited about these fields.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking of volunteering?
Don’t think, just do it!
