 Hello, my name is Janiya, I'm 17 years old. I have just come from Martin Luther King high school. Although it is not the best school in Philadelphia, I try to make the most out of it. Prior to going there I went to Community Academy of Philadelphia where I was a part of the National Honors Society.
I have 3 sisters and 2 brothers. I'm from West Oak Lane, Philadelphia. I'll be a lifeguard working for Parks & Recs this summer. I really am a fiend for anime, like I really can't get enough of the stuff. In my eyes, it is one of man's best creations. And if you let me, I can talk about it all day. I'm so excited to meet and work with everyone this summer.
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Hi everyone! My name is Laney Riley and I just graduated as Valedictorian from the Academies @ Roxborough High School. I’ve lived in Philly my entire life, however, I love to travel and explore new places. During my time at Roxborough, I dedicated myself to my academics, as well as joining as many extracurriculars as I possibly could. At Roxborough, I was a part of the Biotechnology pathway. Biotechnology is a science that uses living things or parts of them in order to create products that benefit people. This can be anything from makeup to life-saving treatments for diseases. During this time, I learned so much about lab practices and had access to information about outside programs that would benefit my education, such as TRIP. I will forever be grateful for the Biotechnology program that helped me so much.   When I wasn’t in the classroom, I was constantly staying busy with extracurriculars. I participated in the debate team, was a STEAM scholar, assisted teachers when needed, was a member of my school’s GSA, had a job, and completed multiple internships/side programs. Some of these include the Immersion Science Program (another cancer research program that sadly got cut short because of Covid), a WorkReady internship, an internship at the Schuylkill Center, a Bioethics internship, and a genetics lab that branched off of the Bioethics internship, as well as continuing art and dance classes from my childhood. Staying so busy, as well as going to high school was a challenge and could be very stressful at times, however, I am so glad I stuck with it. Not only did it help when applying to colleges, but I also was given a wide range of experiences that helped me decide what I want to do with my future.  When I was a kid, I loved science. I couldn’t wait to learn more and I still feel the same now. While it frustrates me, I love that science is so open-ended. There are so many possibilities. It piqued my interest in a way like none other. Science allows me to solve real-world problems while also using my creative side in coming up with ways to solve those real-world problems. It feels so amazing to have the same passion as my childhood self, though it has shifted slightly. As a kid, I just wanted to do science, which makes sense because I was a kid and didn’t know all of the options out there. As of now, I want to study neurological disorders on the rarer side that don’t get the attention they deserve. I’ve yet to decide if I want to go the med school route, however, I am confident that I want to help others. I’m so beyond excited to get into the lab and meet my fellow TRIP-mates. I’m so beyond excited to get into the lab and meet my fellow TRIP-mates. The next few weeks are going to be so exciting and I can’t wait to learn as much as I can. I can’t wait to share my experiences with others, as well as learn about theirs and hear different perspectives. So much will be happening within the next few weeks and it’s so exhilarating. TRIP will be amazing enough, and then the day after the symposium, I will be flying to Los Angeles to start my college education at the University of Southern California. Currently, my major is Biological Sciences, however, I am heavily considering switching it to Neuroscience, with a possible double major in Psychology and minoring in Forensics & Criminality, as well as Gender & Sexuality Studies. Life is about to get super exciting and I’m so genuinely excited and happy!  Hello! My name is Anjali Verma and welcome to my life…
It is rare when you walk in the room (of complete strangers!) and you instantly have a connection with them, that is what yesterday’s first day of TRIP felt like! We are all radiating with passion that comes with learning, excited to learn more about anything and everything that comes our way. I didn’t mix the food with the drug properly, but that was where I truly got to see the beauty in failure— when I picked myself back up.  Yesterday may have only been our first day, but we have learned so much more about ourselves, others, and the world around us. We explored how to use a pipette and a micropipette (an instrument I didn’t even know existed until TRIP) and mixed our own fruit fly food for our Introductory Project. My project will focus on, “How does Rhodiola and head trauma affect the mood of a Drosophila melanogaster (also known as the fruit fly)?” The first time around, I didn’t mix the food with the drug properly, but that was where I truly got to see the beauty in failure— when I picked myself back up. I was already immersed into new content such as calculating solutions and dilutions, and it is amazing to see how much you are able to learn in such a short amount of time. Not to mention, I now have fruit flies living on the mantle in my family room to observe over the week.  Along with school work, I love being involved in my school and community. You can find me in the pool as a swimmer (butterfly is my favorite) and on the field as my school's varsity lacrosse goalie (although sometimes, I am still afraid of the ball!). I am also passionate about American Sign Language and immersing myself in Deaf Culture through making music more accessible. Outside of athletics, I am involved in the band and choir ensembles at my school, our debate team, Student Council, Mini-THON, and as a partner in Unified Sports! Next year, I will serve as Officer at Large in our chapter of Key Club, a Chief Science Officer (a class representative that aims to bridge STEM into the community) as well as the Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils 2023 State President (currently president-elect)! I am excited to be working on a Statewide Mental Health Initiative in schools to be implemented next year through PASC! I have always been excited about science, so when I was Googling summer science programs I instantly fell in love with the TRIP Initiative. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to apply (especially after working with fruit flies in class this year)! I am absolutely thrilled to have the honor to collaborate with young minds that share the same passion for science that I do! I hope to go into a STEM career and this is such an amazing opportunity to explore my interests, and learn and grow as a scientist!Thank you for reading, I can’t wait to document this 5-week journey and be a part of this already so memorable of an experience. I am so grateful to be a part of the TRIP family! Hi everyone! My name is Shawnette James, and I am a recent graduate of Masterman High School, and I will be attending the University of Pittsburgh in the fall to major in Neuroscience. In school I participated in various clubs, such as the African American Cultural Committee, Girls Varsity Soccer, Step Club, Pep Squad, Yearbook Club, and Yoga Club. None of these clubs exactly align with one another, but that is because I focused more on my creative interests than my academic interests. I think I took the opportunity to explore my interests, but they are all activities I would like to be a part of while in college as well. 
My first day at TRIP was interesting to say the very least. We were able to get right to using lab tools and skills to prepare food for our future fruit fly experiments, but were also given a vial of fruit flies to take home and observe. I think these two things were my favorite parts of the first day because I really enjoy hands-on lab work, especially if it is contributing to a bigger idea or project, and making the fruit fly food helped me practice my skills with making solutions. I think that the fly vial we were given also fills my enjoyment of hands-on work because we have something that will soon be changing right in front of us to observe, and I’m excited to see what new changes I will find.
 Hello! My name is David Benjamin, and I am currently a rising senior at Hatboro Horsham Highschool. In school, I am involved in a diverse handful of clubs and activities. I am vice president of NHS, head of Feed-a-Friend (a local food drive organization), and an active member of Key Club, Ski Club, FBLA, and Stocks and Investment Club. Lacrosse is my main sport – I am a midfielder, face-off man, and captain – but I have also dabbled in other sports, such as soccer, golf, and intramural basketball. Outside of school, I work as a caddy at Old York Country Club, volunteer at Manna on Main Street and other organizations, and am self-studying JavaScript. In my free time, I like to play any type of sports, lift, eat Chipotle, and listen to music (mostly hip-hop or indie). Why TRIP? I wanted to fill my summer with a meaningful activity that revolved around my interests in STEM. While brainstorming ideas, my sister’s boyfriend recommended looking into Fox Chase, since he completed one of their high school research programs a few years ago. This led me to discover TRIP – a program that would allow me to explore my passions in math and science by conducting a unique independent investigation. The fact that I would be able to research my own hypothesis was fascinating to me. It is not often that a high schooler has the opportunity to explore a field of personal interest with access to highly qualified mentors and tons of lab equipment. Additionally, I am currently unsure of which STEM major I would like to pursue in college, so I hope that TRIP provides me with some guidance in that aspect.
 Hello everyone! My name is Yailis Correa and I am a rising junior at Murrell Dobbins CTE High School. My shop is Biotechnology. For the school year 2021-2022, I was president of the Today’s Scholars, Tomorrow’s Leaders (TSTL) Club. In this club, we work alongside various environmentalists and organizations to brainstorm solutions for problems affecting our community and world. Last year, we interviewed the Teen Vax Ambassadors about the COVID-19 vaccine and prepared a video to inform the students in our school and their families about why they should consider being vaccinated. This year’s project was a documentary on gun violence, which, most unfortunately, we did not get to finish. The Biotechnology shop held vaccination clinics in collaboration with the Black Doctors Consortium and vaccinated  I am also a part of the Alumni Student Network Club. This club connects high-achieving students from grades 9-12. It provides us with many opportunities like scholarships, community service hours, and connections with people from all over the city. I just recently became a member of the NSHSS as well! I consider myself an active person and oftentimes if I'm free, I'll just fill up my schedule with work. If I'm not working, I might draw or paint. I like reading a lot as well- especially Science Fiction and Thrillers. I haven't done either of these in a while though. I found out about TRIP through a Stepping Stones team member and my Biotechnology teacher. After reading through what the program was, I thought it'd help clarify what I'd like to do with my life, as well as give me some decent lab experience. I'd like to develop and refine some lab skills to improve this upcoming school year in the biotechnology lab. One fun fact about me is that I'm fluent in Spanish and English. but I can speak basic Portuguese and Korean as well - although, I have a better comprehension of Portuguese!
 Hi! My name is Charlotte Tan, and I’m a rising senior at Downingtown STEM Academy. In school, I’m involved in Physics Club, my school’s track and field team, and the middle school outreach group in our Chemistry Club! Outside of school, I also participate in a physics internship where I’m currently building a breadboard that automatically pumps water between tanks depending on the water height, as well as a wireless power transmitter that powers a light bulb using Tesla coils! Another important part of my life is my drive for social justice. I feel a lot of love and appreciation towards my Chinese-Malaysian culture and heritage and participate in Asian Americans United, which has connected me to a larger Chinese community in Philadelphia. I really value our collective strive for equity and as a future doctor or medical researcher, I feel responsibility to make a change in the field for patients in different socioeconomic conditions. To be honest, I was younger, I never truly had a specific area of interest, but going to STEM school, I quickly made use of the endless science resources it provides. After 3 years of trying to see which of the sciences fit me best, my passion carries itself into the fields of biology and physics, which I continue exploring through my hobbies. I love gardening, painting tote bags (it’s both cute and practical), and martial arts (I have a black sash!). I find it extremely interesting how science naturally manifests in our world, and we can use every activity we do as a method to learn more and see real-world intersections of science. While gardening, we use biology to figure out how to make the most nutrient-packed soil, but also physics to figure out how to best anchor the soil and plants down.
Biophysics definitely is a career that I would love to pursue, so when I first heard about TRIP from my bio teacher, I jumped at the opportunity to get hands-on lab experience and perform experiments I have never even heard of before. TRIP seemed like an amazing way to develop skills and give me an image of what it’s like to have a career in biomedical research. In my first TRIP experiment, I’m investigating the effects of circadian rhythms on mood, and whether drugs can have an impact, perfect for me, because this summer has completely ruined my sleep schedule. We just started making fly food, pipetting, and micropipetting, but I’m excited to continue learning in my TRIP journey and get closer with all my TRIP friends!
Hello everyone! My name is Emily Zhang, and I am a rising senior at Kingsway Regional High in Gloucester County, NJ. Before moving to South Jersey, I spent most of my childhood in Connecticut and studied Mandarin in China for about two years. My experience in China undoubtedly shaped a part of who I am today as a student and an overall person.   Although I am an introvert, I enjoy meeting new people and will never turn down an opportunity! Therefore, when I moved to NJ in eighth grade, I got involved in the marching band. Having been in a marching band since fourth grade, marching band gave me another perspective on music and the opportunity to build leadership and communication skills. I discovered that marching band is a team activity as it requires every member to be dedicated to their roles. Therefore, individualism and communication within each section are also very important. I am also a part of my school’s STEM Academy. Through this program, I’ve met students interested in similar studies as me which allowed me to learn further about topics in STEM. This past year, I began a service-learning project related to STEM. This project aims to connect with individuals with special needs in my community through music. So far, I have been able to learn about the importance of music therapy and how it affects an individual's mood. I was able to build a close connection with the students every week, and I find this important as students with special needs are often excluded from the community for being "different." I hope to expand this project during my senior year.
To the person reading this: Hey there! I hope you are doing well.  My name is Samarth Mannikeri, and I am a rising junior at Pennsbury High School in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania. At Pennsbury, my interests vary all over the place. In terms of music, I play the piano and saxophone along with my school's symphonic band or my fellow peers. I am also the captain of Pennsbury's speech and debate team, placing myself in numerous nationally-ranked tournaments in domestic and international extemporaneous speaking. Moreover, I am an active member of Pennsbury’s Mathletics team, newspaper, and literary magazine. Additionally, in partnership with the NFL’s Fuel Up to Play 60 and GenYouth programs, I am a national Youth Council member. You can also catch me playing tennis with my school’s team or friends. In terms of science, I participate in Pennsbury's Science Discovery Club, competing in the PJAS (Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science) and BCSF (Bucks County Science Research Academy) competitions. In my free time, I enjoy reading non-fiction books, volunteering with my local community, watching anime, and making (and eating) some delicious Indian food!
 Through this wonderful opportunity with TRIP, especially with the use of fruit flies, I have been able to understand and examine the micro and macro characteristics and elements of the world of research. These real-life applications, particularly through the use of fruit flies, allows us all to truly appreciate and recognize the world and society around us. I aspire to create an experiment that can prove the effectiveness of engineered medications (allopathy) versus natural medicines (homeopathy). Furthermore, I hope to analyze the real-life implications or benefits they each have to offer. I am looking forward to taking an amazing TRIP with this outstanding program, and I hope this course will be able to further deepen my knowledge of the sciences and the public health sector, which can propel my dream of becoming a pediatrician.
Hello! My name is Peter Yang.  I am a rising junior at Wissahickon High School. What brought me to TRIP is my curiosity about the research in drug discovery. I often hear about breakthrough drugs to treat diseases that had not been treatable. For example, I am amazed by the fact that cancer, once a disease of sure death, now has a real prospect of becoming something curable. At the same time, I am curious about how these drugs are being discovered and why so many never made it through to be used to treat patients. My curiosity is not limited to cancer and more about what happens in a lab. Through TRIP I hope to gain insight into and hands-on experience of what forms good research.
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