Hastings High School Senior Faith Shaeffer to Receive 2014 Child Mind Institute Rising Scientist Award

The Child Mind Institute has selected Faith Shaeffer, a student at Hastings High School to be the recipient of the 2014 Child Mind Institute Rising Scientist Award.

“I nominated Faith for the Rising Scientist Award because of her outstanding abilities as a student and because of her interest in neuroscience,” explained her science teacher Melissa Shandroff. “Faith is in my science research class and really wanted to explore neuroscience. She was able to locate an internship this past summer at NYU in the Department of Neuroscience where she was mapping neurons. I am really excited and proud of Faith for winning this award!”

The Child Mind Institute is dedicated to transforming mental health care for children everywhere. The organization is committed to finding more effective treatments for childhood psychiatric and learning disorders, building the science of healthy brain development and empowering children and their families to get help, hope and answers.

In a letter from Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, president of the Child Mind Institute, he stated that the selection committee was impressed by Faith’s achievement in science courses, commitment to addressing advanced scientific questions, and leadership in the classroom and extracurricular activities.

The Child Mind Institute will be making a $500 gift to the science department at Hastings High School in her honor.

Miss Shaeffer says that she has always had a keen interest in science and intends to pursue the field in a post-secondary institution of learning.

She will be recognized at the Child Mind Institute Rising Scientists breakfast on Thursday, October 9 at 9 a.m. at the Roosevelt House at Hunter College. Faith Shaeffer will receive the award from Pasko Rakic, MD, PhD, Director of the Yale Kavli Institute for Neuroscience and the 2014 Child Mind Institute Distinguished Scientist.