RISE, RCDS’s Research and Innovation in Science and Engineering after-school club, was founded during the 2024–25 school year by recent graduate and then-junior Ishana Kumar ’26 to inspire Middle School students in Grades 6–8 to engage in hands-on STEM research and engineering design.

Over the past two years, Ishana collaborated with former Director of STEAM Dr. Cathie Bischoff to develop an engaging program that fosters curiosity, scientific inquiry, and a passion for research among Middle School students. Together, they created opportunities for RISE participants to investigate authentic scientific questions, design experiments, and experience the collaborative research process firsthand. A hallmark of the program is the opportunity for students to work closely with faculty mentors as they develop and refine their projects.

A recent club highlight for students was presenting their research at several regional fairs, including the Westchester Regional Middle School Science and Engineering Fair, Westchester Regional Middle School Science and Engineering Fair, where they earned numerous awards and recognitions:

• Michael C. ’30 and Michael X. ’30 — Investigating the Effect of Acid Rain on Plant Germination
  1st Place, Plant Science
• Robert D. ’31 — A Comparative Study of Herbal Antimicrobial Activity (Yarrow and Plantain)
  1st Place, Microbiology
• Mila G. ’32 — Investigating How Age and First Language Influence the Stroop Effect
  2nd Place, Behavioral Science and Best Poster Award Recipient
• Daniel W. ’31 and William Z. ’31 — Testing Structural Stability: How Different Materials Withstand Earthquakes
  2nd Place, Engineering and Energy Award Recipients
• Nikolas R. ’30 — The Effect of Mineral Supplements and Vitamin D on Bacterial Growth
  3rd Place, Microbiology and Rosalind Franklin Microbiology Award Recipient
• Livia T. ’32 — Social Media Preferences Across Age Groups: A Survey-Based Study
  3rd Place, Behavioral Science and Most Promising Research Project Recipient

Congratulations to all of our Middle School RISE members! We are so proud of your accomplishments and look forward to seeing your continued success next year.