All About Mia! by Mia Downs

​My name is Mia Downs and I’m a 15 year old sophomore at Council Rock High School South. I’m super excited to be able to participate in the TRIP program, as science is definitely my favorite subject. I’m still deciding what branch of science I want to go into in the future; currently, I’m interested in the field of medicine. Last summer, to get an ounce of exposure, I spent time volunteering at Abington Hospital doing Patient Transport. I felt pretty official with my hospital volunteer shirt, ID card, and designated duties. At the same time, I was working two jobs: one at a local toy store, and the other at Rita’s water ice. Can you tell I like staying busy?

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My interests are varied and diverse. I sing in my school choir, participate in my school’s Latin Club, and am a member of the Music Honors Society. I love animals, especially my cat, and have volunteered at local animal rescue groups. Each Fall, I manage my own walk team, Mia’s Magicians, to raise funds for the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), and I am CPR/AED certified. In terms of frivolity, I paint my nails a new color just several times a week, I can watch one rerun after another of The Office for hours, and I bake a decent gluten free brownie. I was on a diving team for a few seasons, took some gymnastics and dance classes, and I love to travel, having been to Ireland, Greece, Rome, and many US states. By far, I’m the biggest night owl in my family-- in the summer, I often go to bed as the sun is rising.

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British physicist Stephen Hawking once said, “Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.” These are words I think about as I navigate through experiences, and TRIP is a program which fits right in: promoting wonder and engaging students’ curiosities as we work hard and learn more about scientific research. Any education and experience I can gain in the field of science brings me closer to setting and realizing my goals.  I have two autoimmune conditions, Type 1 diabetes and celiac. There are scientists out there right now researching in labs in to find cures, and the impact of their work will impact millions. Science changes lives. Someday, I know it will change mine.

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