HighRise
Materials Laboratory Experiences for High Schoolers
At the University of Delaware, CHARM’s HighRise program teams up with 2 local non-profit organizations, TeenSHARP & LYTE, to bring high-level materials science lab experiences to high school students who plan on a future in STEM and want to expand their understanding of the scientific field. For 4 weeks during the summer, HighRise participants get the chance to rotate through “soft materials” and “hard materials” labs within CHARM where they will encounter materials concepts like polymers, semiconductors, nanomaterials, and more!
Why join HighRise?
Participants students can expect to:
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- earn a stipend of $1,500;
- learn more about materials science & engineering, an area usually not covered in standard HS STEM curriculum;
- become more comfortable in an university-level laboratory before beginning college;
- work directly with UD faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students who can answer your college & career questions; and
- create connections for your future career that will strengthen your resume!
*Quotes below taken from post-program assessments.
“All the mentors, they’ve been super kind and super helpful, really guiding us through all the labs and what we’re going to do that day. All the labs were really fun to do.”
“…I expected it to be really scary. I thought they wanted us to already know everything, so I was pleasantly surprised when we got lectures every day that went in-depth and explained stuff first.”
“…actually being able to see [science] applied in a lab environment and doing hands on research I think is more interesting. So, it gives me…a picture of what I may be doing in the future, and it makes me more interested in STEM in school now because I know what the end goal is.”
Upcoming HighRise Summer Program: July 7ᵗʰ – August 1ˢᵗ, 2025
Eligibility
Ideal applicants should:
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- Be a current sophomore or junior in high school (a rising junior or senior during Summer 2025)
- Participate in either the TeenSHARP or LYTE programs
- Be a US citizen, US national, or permanent resident of the US
- Be a current sophomore or junior in high school (a rising junior or senior during Summer 2025)
Interested in joining?
Notify your TeenSHARP or LYTE advisors and ask them to add you to their recruitment lists for our program!
Previous HighRise Cohorts
2024 Student Cohort
Aanyae Anderson, Reach Cyber Charter School ’25
Joseph Ouma, Charter School of Wilmington ’25
Elijah Simon, MOT Charter High School ’26
2023 Student Cohort
Zabriel Baptiste, MOT Charter High School ’24
Joshuah Gomez, Charter School of Wilmington ’24
Luke Simon, MOT Charter High School ’24
Kourtney Warren, Newark Charter School ’24
2022 Student Cohort
Ruwaydah Cheek, Newark High School ’24
Nathan Idonije, Delaware Military Academy ’23
Luke Simon, MOT Charter High School ’24
Kourtney Warren, Newark Charter School ’24
2021 Student Cohort
Ronald Hollis, William Penn High School ’23
Samantha Ko, Charter School of Wilmington ’22
Matthew Njue, MOT Charter High School ’23
Olaide Olatunbosun, MOT Charter High School ’23
Temitayo Oshatola, Middletown High School ’22
Nathan Wachira, MOT Charter High School ’22