S.C.O.P.E. 2026 concludes with 17 high school students’ final research presentations

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of Education recently saw the culmination of this year’s version of its annual month-long Summer College Opportunity Program in Education (S.C.O.P.E.) with the final research presentations of the 17 high school students in this year’s cohort.

Started in 2002, S.C.O.P.E. is a four-week rigorous academic enrichment and orientation program offering the opportunity to experience college life during the summer session at Penn State’s University Park campus.

To be eligible, students must be from a background traditionally underrepresented in the field of education, be entering the 11th grade in the upcoming school year, be interested in an education career, have a high school cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or better and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

“This year's S.C.O.P.E. cohort has been truly remarkable,” said Brenda Martinez, director of the Office of Education and Social Equity, which runs S.C.O.P.E. “From the very beginning, they created a community rooted in kindness, empathy and mutual support. Watching them engage deeply with complex issues affecting students today and transform their ideas into thoughtful, impactful research has been incredibly inspiring and gives me great confidence in the leaders and changemakers they are already becoming.”

The students, affectionately called “SCOPErs," began the four-week on-campus residential program by selecting a contemporary issue in education. The initial project was to write a research proposal on their selected issue. Next, they explored positions and solutions surrounding their issue through Pattee and Paterno Library. SCOPErs compiled a list of these sources using the American Psychological Association as a form of documentation. Finally, the students completed their project by developing a solution or by further clarifying their understanding of the problem.

On the final day of S.C.O.P.E., friends, family, faculty, staff and the general public are invited to attend the presentations held in the Krause Studios for Innovation on the second floor of Chambers Building and ask the students questions and provide constructive feedback on their research. The experience provides the students with skills that will be vital to their future success as a college student.

Student presentations:

• Faith Allen — “How Does Stigma Impact African American Students’ Mental Health?”
• Josh Dizon — “Addressing Depression and Social-Stigma Among Young Men”
• Beloved Fernandez — “Behind Closed Doors: The Hidden Reality of Abuse in Boarding Schools”
• Vivian Fraley — “Get Your Head Out of The Clouds: The Effects Gender Bias in ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) Has on Female Students”
• Elijah Gibbs — “Social-Emotional Learning: Strengthening School Environments and Student Success”
• Amanda Gomez-Bustillo — “From Communication to Collaboration: Advancing Family-Teacher Relationships to Support Black and Latino Students”
• Jael John — “Building Belonging: Improving Teacher-Student Relationships in Alternative High Schools”
• Savannah Kurtz — “Financial Struggles and its Effects on College Students”
• Celebrity Lane-Jones — “The Impact of the Shortage of Black and Brown Teachers in U.S. Schools”
• Gisselle Lopez-Galvez — “Discrimination against Latinx Students: Restorative Practices”
• Briyana Nicholson — “The Increase of Inequities in Public Schools: The Impacts on Students with Disabilities”
• Lois O'Goffa — “The Impacts of Generational Trauma on Children”
• Desiree Pena — “The Academic Impacts of COVID-19 on Middle Schoolers”
• Lucy Ruiz — “Gender Bias in Education”
• Shanele Sanchez Lora — “Supporting Chronically Ill Students in Pennsylvania: How Ableism is Dismissed in Schools”
• Dyani Scott — “The Hidden Stigma: Mental Health in Caribbean Immigrant Households”
• Amir Voltaire — “The Struggles of Black Students in the U.S. Education System”

“It has been a privilege to learn alongside them and witness their growth throughout the program,” Martinez said. “Their accomplishments reflect their hard work, dedication and willingness to challenge themselves. I'm also grateful for the staff, mentors and donors who believe in creating opportunities like S.C.O.P.E., making it possible for students to explore their passions, develop their voices, and share their ideas with their communities.”

The program aligns with the College of Education’s mission by seeking to increase access for more people from different backgrounds in the education field. Additionally, according to Martinez this approach aims to improve outcomes for all students by allowing more students to not only see themselves represented throughout the educational field, but among those involved in the decision-making process at the local, state and federal levels as well.

S.C.O.P.E. is possible thanks to the support from the Penn State College of Education; Nancy S. Arnold Fund; John and Maryann Gilmartin; Tom and Jackie Jenkins Endowment; Nolan-Landers Fund; Maria J. Schmidt Endowment; Julie Welker; John & Michael West Endowment; Clifton Edwards; the Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity; and Our Education and S.C.O.P.E. Alumni.

Any school or organization that would like more information about S.C.O.P.E. can email OESE-COE@psu.edu.