16 / matters magazine / spring 2026
C
olumbia High School 
is known for its daz­
zling annual musical, its 
singular Special Dance 
Program and its claim to 
fame as the birthplace of 
Ultimate Frisbee. How­
ever, CHS is also home to a lesser known hidden 
gem: the Science Research Program, a multiyear 
science elective exposing students to the real world 
of research. 
There is no memorizing formulas or duplicat­
ing tired old lab experiments. Instead, the program 
breaks down the classroom walls altogether as stu­
dents do a deep dive on a topic of their choosing 
and work side-by-side with expert research men­
tors. From amoebas to asteroids, program mem­
bers have followed their curiosity and passion into 
research with real meaning and purpose. 
Hannah Morris, a student of the program who 
graduated in 2025, says her love for the environ­
ment led her to seek the guidance of a professor 
at the University of Pennsylvania School of Vet­
erinary Medicine. She studied the effects of hu­
man-caused mortality in New Jersey’s bald eagles. 
“I was interested in local environmental issues be­
cause it’s an area where I believe I can have the 
most impact,” she says. 
Her time at her mentor’s veterinary center dur­
ing a program field visit to observe necropsies, a 
veterinary pathology procedure, is an example of 
how Morris says that the Science Research Pro­
gram put her “right in the middle” of experiences 
that help make the planet a better place. “My men­
tor was extremely helpful and knowledgeable and 
took me se­
riously 
as 
a 
scientist, 
which 
will 
always mean 
a lot to me.” 
Morris hopes 
to continue 
this mission 
by complet­
ing her un­
dergraduate 
degree 
at 
University of 
Pittsburgh 
in environmental science and building a career in 
sustainability.
Becoming fluent in the world of science research 
is an increasingly essential skill. “It’s the world we 
live in now,” says Anna Torrey, who graduated from 
CHS in 2018. Torrey went on to complete a mo­
lecular and cellular biology pre-medicine degree at 
The Johns Hopkins University. “I’ve been doing re­
search ever since!” she says. 
Knowing how to do data analysis and critically 
review scientific papers gives CHS students a deci­
sive advantage. 
“Classmates in 
college were so 
overwhelmed 
by research. In 
that sense, it 
put me and my 
CHS 
friends 
ahead.” Torrey 
is now a third-
year 
medical 
student at Co­
lumbia 
Uni­
versity of Va­
Inspiring the Next 
Generation of Scientists
Columbia High School’s Science Research Program connects students and mentors
BY SAVANNAH MARTIN
Hannah Morris presenting at NJ 
Terra Science Fair at Kean University.
The Science Research class of 2026. 
Bottom row, L to R: Isabella Palkhiwala-
Sarette, Lola Karp-Foster, Juliet Givoni, 
Rachael Mayer
Second row, L to R: Susannah Litwin, Julia 
Freidrich, Emerie Katz, Olivia Traub, 
Third row, L to R: Theo Boddeker, Christo­
pher Kondak, Joey Kerner, Melia Crain
Top row, L to R: Angelo Lynch, Zachary 
Brenden, Hudson Ebright
Anna Torrey is now completing 
her third year of medical school at 
Columbia University and taking her 
board exams. (Wish her luck!)

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