Defining St. Luke’s Exceptional Education: The Scholars Symposium

During their time at St. Luke’s, students are encouraged to embrace a deep love of learning, challenge themselves academically, and, as the Center for Leadership motto states, find your voice and make a difference. For a group of St. Luke’s seniors, these ambitions are realized through the Scholars Program. In late spring, twenty-five members of the Class of 2021 showcased their mastery-level research and presentation skills during the annual Scholars Symposium.

The Scholars Program and Symposium, led by Director of Studies Jim Yavenditti, encourages students to forge their own paths by embarking on a yearlong, extensive independent research project on a topic that inspires them. Scholars’ topics fall into three categories, Classical, Global, and STEM. Scholars begin with a deep dive into research, consult with faculty mentors throughout the process, and conclude with a formal presentation of findings at the Symposium.

Yavenditti refers to the annual Symposium as “the highest form of independent scholarship here on the St. Luke’s Hilltop.” This year, the 25 Scholars’ presentations took place via Zoom over five nights. Presentations were live, and audience members were able to ask questions following the presentations. St. Luke’s will share recordings of the presentations at a later date.

Head of School Mark Davis says the Scholars Symposium is a St. Luke’s distinction: “These presentations are an example of what happens when committed students engage their passions in a year of research, guided by incredible teachers. The level of knowledge and the sophistication of the presenters...truly astounding.”

Chase Fredriksen-Isaacs of Weston presents: A Comprehensive Analysis of Prognostic, Diagnostic, and Predictive Biomarkers in Glioma (STEM).

The senior scholars presented in one of three categories: Global, Classical, or STEM.

This year’s scholars and topics include:

• Hanaa Ahmar – Yemen’s Continued Humanitarian Crisis: No End in Sight (Global)
• Zach Amendola – A Mathematical Analysis of COVID-19 (STEM)
• Jack Briggs – Navigating Unmapped Spaces Using Low-Cost Stereo SLAM (STEM)
• Marguerite DeMarco – Clytemnestra: The Woman With a “Man-Strong Heart” (Classical)
• Brian Douglas & Jonathan Hobson – Manipulating Microphones with Lasers: Photic Signal Injection (STEM)
• Chase Fredriksen-Isaacs – A Comprehensive Analysis of Prognostic, Diagnostic, and Predictive Biomarkers in Glioma (STEM)
• Blake Haden – Removing Microplastics: A Non-Invasive Watercraft Filter (STEM)
• Rex Jensen & Tigerlily Jensen – Optimizing Strategies and Evaluating Luck vs. Skill in Guts Poker (STEM)
• Abby Johnson – A Tool or a Weapon? The Implications of Artificial Intelligence Reliance Globally (Global)
• Elyse Kim – A Delicate Balance: Protecting Global Press Freedom of Speech Amid Cultural and Political Turmoil (Global)
• Jack Laibe – Bending Reality: Politics, Media, and Authoritarianism (Global)
• Pierce Leclerc – Engineering a Cheap, Safe, and Practical Alternative to High-End Electric Prosthetic Arms (STEM)
• Doron Loewenberg – Slam Dunk: Why the NBA’s Expansion Into Africa Could Be a Huge Win (Global)
• Moli Ma – Blood-Soaked Clothes: Exploitation and Accountability in the Global Garment Industry (Global)
• Bella Martino – Popping Off: The Impact of Popular Culture on Global Media and Politics (Global)
• Cate Mathews – Gut Feeling: An Exploration of the Environmental Triggers of Celiac Disease (STEM)
• Danielle Nares & Ping Ryan - Prototyping an Economical Kidney-Perfusing Transport Device (STEM)
• Liam Patty – Software Assisted Web Navigation via Web Scraping and Machine Learning for Symbol Identification (STEM)
• Drew Priore – Developing a Shoulder Injury Prevention Shirt for Football Players (STEM)
• Caroline Ross – Africa’s Hidden Epidemic: How Malaria Mitigation and Prevention Are Attainable Despite Increased Climate Change (Global)
• Nick Rutigliano – Future Applications of Compliant Mechanisms (STEM)
• Emma Seel – Damming the Mekong River: National Interest & Environmental Catastrophe (Global)

Click here to see recordings of all of the 2021 Senior Scholars presentations.

St. Luke’s Scholar Advisors included:

Classical: Leo Mahler (classics teacher) and Jim Yavenditti (Director of Studies)

STEM: Alec LeBris and Jason Warner (science teachers)

Global: Beth Yavenditti (Director of Global Education) and Jason Haynes (US History Department Chair)

St. Luke's is a secular (non-religious) private school in New Canaan, CT, for grades 5-12. St. Luke's mission is an exceptional education that inspires a deep love of learning, a strong moral compass, the commitment to serve, and the confidence to lead. St. Luke's Center for Leadership advances our mission by helping students develop exceptional leadership ability. Learn more.