Middle School Mastery Projects

For her Middle School Mastery project, Ishani Agarwal ’30 explored the intersection of science and storytelling. Through DNA analysis and family research, Ishani uncovered how her genetic markers aligned–and didn’t align–with her family’s narrative. Since her parents and grandparents grew up in Northern India, her family assumed that’s what the DNA test would show. However, the DNA results revealed they were 70% Southern Indian and only 10% Northern Indian. She noted, “We always thought that we were Northern Indian, so that really came as a surprise.”

Josiah Fung ’29 studied the science of the heart for his Middle School Mastery project. He learned about the heart’s structure, function, and the impact of disease—while also earning his CPR certification along the way. With support from advisor Karen Horikawa, he combined research and real-world training to better understand and promote heart health.

For her Middle School Mastery project, Kat Montejo ’30 brought movement to life through animatronic engineering. Using hydraulic pressure and programmable robotics, Kat designed and built an animatronic device that blended mechanical function with creative design. Guided by advisor and Upper School Computer Science teacher Nicholas Ordway, she explored how engineering and innovation can work hand in hand.

Merrymay Wu ’30 explored the intersection of art and engineering for her Middle School Mastery project. With guidance from advisor Megan Hegenbarth, Merrymay took on the challenge of folding a single, free-standing origami structure from a massive four-square-meter sheet of paper. She examined the delicate balance between creativity and precision in large-scale paper art by scaling up her origami skills. During the process, she noted, “The project takes more patience than using the smaller pieces."

Izzy Register ’30 created her own language for her Middle School Mastery Project. Drawing on her passion for linguistics and support from a University of Delaware language expert and in-school advisor, Courtney Miller, Izzy built an original language from the ground up, using Romanian and Bulgarian as key reference points. Her work blended creativity, structure, and a sense of curiosity. 

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLOwGScFqvM&list=PLDxXSB-lz7D7S_JmG5YYJa8tUIyGCD7fR