GLOBAL LEADERS
An Independent Learner
SILVER-MEDAL SISTERS For the Merchant family, serving others is just part of daily life. Seventh-grader INSHA MERCHANT and fourth-grader SHEZA MERCHANT frequently volunteer with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Project Open Hand Atlanta, Meals by Grace and other local nonprofit organizations. Sheza devoted more than 12 hours of her spring break to volunteer work, and in 2014, Insha coordinated a school-supply drive, donating more than 400 pounds of pencils, paper and pens to I Care Atlanta Inc. It comes as no surprise then that the girls have been recognized for their philanthropic work; both are 2014 recipients of The President’s Volunteer Service Award at the silver level. The silver award recognizes children who have volunteered more than 70 hours during a 12-month period. Recipients receive a personalized certificate, an official pin, medallion or coin and a congratulatory letter from President Barack Obama.
28
KnightTimes | Spring 2015
When senior MARK GRENADER expressed an interest in delving deeper into chemistry research through an independent-study lab course, Upper School science teacher JULIE HALL knew just what to do. Hall, a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, connected Grenader with Dr. Mark Prausnitz, head of Georgia Tech’s Laboratory for Drug Delivery. Prausnitz in turn arranged a partnership with Dr. Andrey Romanyuk, a research scientist with a focus on microneedles. The microscopic needles used for vaccine delivery and diagnostics take up significantly less space than traditional hypodermic needles. They are also painless, pose no biohazard after use and require little to no expertise for administration. Grenader began exploring the world of microneedles in the summer of 2014 and has continued his research throughout the academic year, leaving Pace early multiple times a week to spend several hours at Georgia Tech. Beyond a love of science, Grenader and Romanyuk share a common heritage; Romanyuk is a Russian national, and Grenader is a first-generation Russian-American. They conduct all of their lab work in Russian. “I’ve been involved in projects related to glucose level detection, tetanus and Ebola vaccine distribution and ocular medication delivery,” Grenader says. He’s also been published. Collection of Analytes from Microneedle Patches appeared in an October 2014 edition of Analytical Chemistry and listed Grenader as a co-author. While Grenader —who hopes to pursue engineering—does not foresee a career in academia, his time at Georgia Tech has augmented his respect for technicians in the field. “I know it sounds sort of cliché, but science is very complicated,” he says. “So many factors go into even the simplest tasks. Every day is incredibly interesting.”
Meet Our 2015 Youth Activism Fellows
Johnson, Holifield and Jordan
As part of Pace Academy’s affiliate partnership with the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, junior XORI JOHNSON, sophomore KATIE JORDAN and freshman CALEB HOLIFIELD were selected as 2015 Youth Activism Fellows. In partnership with The Center and Price Waterhouse Coopers LLC, the 25 Atlanta-area Fellows are exploring the intersection of culture, community and human rights—with a particular emphasis on human rights leadership. The hope is that Fellows will raise their potential as individuals who play significant roles in making social change possible. In June, Fellows will travel to Washington, D.C., and upon completion of the program, will receive a stipend and financial literacy information to support their futures as agents of change.