Innovative Student Proposals Win Groton Summer Grants

Ade Osinubi '14, KT Choi '14, and Chris Higginson ’14 received grants through the John Endicott Lawrence 1927 Global Scholars Fund. Ade and KT founded the Iris Fistula Project, which aids Ethiopian women who are recovering from surgery to correct obstetric fistulas, a severe condition often associated with childbirth in medically underserved areas. Ade and KT will use their Lawrence grant to travel this summer to Mekelle, Ethiopia, where they will spend three weeks at the Healing Hands of Joy (HHOJ) Mekelle Center working with women recovering from the surgery. They plan to produce a short documentary detailing the center’s work and the shortcomings in care for women with fistulas. When they return to the United States, Ade and KT hope to raise enough funding to support the rehabilitation of ten women at the HHOJ Mekelle Center.

Chris will use his Lawrence grant to work in Zimbabwe with Grassroot Soccer, which uses the sport to spread education, especially about HIV. Chris' interest in public health stems from a friendship with Dr. Peter Kilmarx, an AIDS researcher at the Centers for Disease Control. While in Africa, Chris will learn about HIV and public health in Africa and will produce a short documentary about his experiences, which he will share with the Groton School community.

Charlie Oberrender '14, Aria Kopp '13, and Catherine Walker-Jacks '13 received grants from the Eleanor C. and George H.P. Dwight 1945 Internship Fund. The fund was established in memory of George H.P. Dwight '45 and is awarded to a student who proposes a project focusing on urban renewal and revitalization. Charlie will work in Minneapolis with InnerCity Tennis (ICT), which teaches tennis to urban youth. Inspired by the positive effect of sports and physical activity on his own academic career, Charlie will analyze and document ICT's KidSpeed program, which investigates the relationship between athletic skills development and success in the classroom. He also will work directly with children in ICT's summer programs.

Aria and Catherine will participate in the Epiphany School’s summer program at Groton. The Epiphany School, founded by John Finley ’88, is a tuition-free middle school for economically disadvantaged students. Aria and Catherine will tutor for one month and will create a film featuring interviews with Epiphany students, teachers, and parents, as well as with the CEOs of Teach for America and KIPP Schools. The girls' experiences as volunteer tutors at the Lowell Community Charter Public School, through Groton Community Service, inspired them to undertake this project.

Manjari Ganti '14, Cayley Geffen '14, and Amy Zhang '14 received grants from the Groton Opportunity for Leadership Development (G.O.L.D.) Fund. The Groton Community Service Board created and raises money for the fund, which provides grants for students who design or contribute to service opportunities that address critical needs within a community. Over the summer, Manjari and Cayley will work with Ashajyothi India to teach life skills to disabled orphans in India. After they return, they plan to raise money and collect items to benefit the orphans. Manjari and Cayley plan to return to Ashajyothi India for the next three summers; they hope their project will inspire fellow students to join them there in the future.

Amy will work with young leukemia patients at Sunshine Playhouse Childcare Center in Shanghai, China. As part of her Sunshine English Learning Project, she will solicit the help of fellow Groton students in collecting used children's books and creating simple English vocabulary flashcards. She will use these materials to teach English to the children at Sunshine Playhouse.