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Academics & Arts
Upper School (Grades 9-12)
The Capstone Scholars Program
Capstone Student Showcase
Laurel’s Capstone Scholars Program provides enterprising and motivated students the opportunity to engage in personally meaningful work that tackles real-world challenges and creates real-world solutions.
Click READ MORE for details, photos, and multimedia presentations.
Mentor: Marsha Michie, Associate Professor, Department of Bioethics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Faculty Support: Howard Schott Summary: I researched modern uses of genetic modification and therapies, then created a series of essays and published them on a blog to share the information I had collected in an understandable manner.
Mentor: Charva Jackson, Immigration Services Advisor, University of Akron
Faculty Support: Kimberly Dailey, Andy Repko
Summary: In order to help international students adjust to living in the US, I created a journal that teaches about culture shock and offers insights and tips about American culture.
Mentors and Faculty: Jessica Allen, Laurel Campaign Director; Mary Ann Pellerano, Laurel Facilities Director; Kathy Jankowski, Landscape Architect at Knight & Stolar Inc.; Heather Havre, Director of the Primary School, Grades 3-5 at the Butler Campus
Summary: For my project, I knew I wanted to do something architectural.
Mentors: Sonya Rhie Mace, Ph.D., Curator of Indian and Southeast Asian Art, Cleveland Museum of Art; Murad Khan Mumtaz, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Art, Williams College
Faculty Support: Darius Steward, Joy Barton
Summary: Inspired by my love for art and history, along with my desire to learn more about my Pakistani heritage, I created an original painting based on a popular Pakistani folktale using historical materials and styles.
Mentors: James Sulzer, Ph.D., Professor at Case Western Reserve University and the University of Texas, Linda Noble-Haeusslein, Ph.D., Professor at University of Texas, Betty Kemper, Founder of Kemper House and Co-Founder of Kemper Cognitive Wellness, Kristen West, Co-Founder of LNHA, President of Kemper Cognitive Wellness
Faculty Support: Howard Schott
Summary: For my Capstone project, I focussed on studying neurodegeneration and investigating specific treatments for cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). I wrote a literature review of the current understanding of young blood plasma administration and young blood parabiosis and their impacts on the progression of AD. I also conducted a survey to learn more about the behaviors of Alzheimer’s patients I studied and their manifestations in real life.
Faculty Support: Brian Carpenter, Brian Rafferty, Brian Hosier
Summary: I built a dual dipole radio telescope through Radio Jove in order to research Jovian Io storms and the solar eclipse. My findings were published on my original website. I used Capstone to learn about astronomy, as well as the scientific and original research process as a whole.
Summary: I wrote a book about my life as a Black young woman growing up in a world that favors the white population. This book is called Living In Blackness and was created during my first year as a Capstone scholar, and ended with it being published and is now available on the Barnes & Noble website. Within my book, there is a collection of short memoir stories, poetry, rhythm writing, and discussion questions to observe oneself and rethink privilege.
Summary: I created a series of video essays dissecting sexist art and writing in male-dominated spaces such as video games, anime, and comics. I’ve been interested in these art forms for as long as I can remember, and have encountered virulent sexism from other players and fans—from anime fans defending the objectification of young female characters to a pair of Overwatch players who argued that female players’ “ineptitude” at an online combat game was proof women didn’t deserve to vote. These experiences, combined with my longtime passion for feminism, inspired me to critique the characterizations of female characters that enable and legitimize these attitudes.
Summary: For my Capstone project, I started an organization to provide free computer science education to middle school girls in the Cleveland area. Collaborating with the Breakthrough Charter schools and the Cuyahoga County Public Library system, I offered Python and HTML programming workshops to more than 52 local girls.
Faculty Support: Abby Murphy, Faina Polt, Howard Schott, Megan Weiskopf Summary: I researched and wrote a novel about queer enclaves in American history.
Mentors: Aviva Vincent, Missy Rose, Jean McGhee Faculty Support:Howard Schott, Missy Rose, Joy Barton Summary: I started an organization called Bow Wow Bow Ties that raises awareness against puppy mills. I design, make, and sell a variety of bow ties for pets. All of my sales are donated to Bailing out Benji, a non-profit that fights against puppy mills across the US.
Mentor: Grace Willer, Ph.D., Director of Learning Strategies, Laurel School Faculty Support: Tori Cordiano, Ph.D., Director of Research, Laurel Center for Research On Girls Summary: For my Capstone project, I focused on sleep deprivation in adolescent girls.
Mentor: Irene Gibson, author of the The Defiers Trilogy Faculty Support: Howard Schott, Director of Capstone Scholars Program Summary: As an avid reader, I wanted to utilize Capstone as a tool to hone my writing skills and to craft stories of my own. I developed a portfolio of poetry pieces and short stories.
Mentors: Susan Gardstrom, Ph.D., MT-BC, University of Dayton professor emeritus; Christine Barton, MM, MT-BC, music therapist in private practice Faculty Support: Kristen Sector, Ida Porris, Nicole Franks, Jennifer Casa, Joy Barton Summary: Inspired by my interest in music therapy, I wrote and produced six original children's songs teaching social and communication skills.
Mentor: Amyaz Moledina, Ph.D., Professor of Economics and Business Economics, The College of Wooster Faculty Support: Joe Corsaro Summary: I have always been curious about governmental policy. I took this interest and merged it with economics to produce a study of welfare policies in the United States.