Spring Capstone Presentations Highlight Excellence and Innovation

On May 14, 2025, we celebrated the culmination of months of hard work as our Capstone Scholars Robbie Schader, Elizabeth Larson, and Harper Jacobs presented their Capstone Projects to an audience of peers, teachers, and families.

Robbie Schader ’25 presented “Isolating and Characterizing Bacteriophages as a Potential Treatment for Columnaris Disease in Catfish,” showcasing his advanced research in microbiology and bioinformatics. His self-built software tool for analyzing phage DNA through the NCBI database impressed both faculty and peers with its ingenuity and potential real-world application.

Elizabeth Larson ’25 presented “In Vitro Exploration of Brain Injuries: Analyzing GFAP Expression in Cultured Neural Cells.” Her hands-on work culturing glioma cells and analyzing heat treatment effects on glial expression exemplified her precision, perseverance, and passion for biomedical research.

Harper Jacobs ’25 presented “Creating a One-Woman Show: Expressions of Motherhood in Western Theatre.” Her project blended research and performance as she wrote and staged a powerful solo production, reflecting both her deep academic inquiry and creative vision. Harper’s leadership and artistic talents continue to enrich Ensworth’s vibrant arts and academic communities.

The Capstone Program at Ensworth offers juniors and seniors a unique opportunity to pursue independent research and dive deeply into subjects they are passionate about. Jonah Biller, Selin Weitkamp, and Jana Yassin—who presented in January—also exemplified the program’s goals by showcasing their intellectual curiosity, creativity, and dedication to tackling complex issues.

We are so proud of these students for their outstanding work and dedication to their topics of presentation topics.
Congratulations, scholars!