Team Bios

Please note: These short biographies were written by team members during the 2013-2014 school year. All ten students are continuing to work on the project this year, 2014-2015, but our bios have not been updated to reflect their current grade level.

We are the Charger Potential InvenTeam, and we thought you might like to know a bit about each of us...

Barbara Morrow is one of our team advisors.

BS Biology- Salem College
Cancer Awareness Program Intern- Bowman Gray School of Medicine
Student Intern in Scanning Electron Microscopy- RJ Reynolds
Middle School Science Teacher and Department Chair- Albemarle Road Middle School

Middle School Science Teacher- Providence Day School

Middle School Science Olympiad Coach- Providence Day School

Middle School eCYBERMISSION Advisor- Providence Day School

Victoria Xu is a ninth grader at Providence Day, and ever since she was in elementary school she's been fascinated by science. In the fifth grade she did Science Olympiad, and she absolutely loved learning about all the different subjects in science like engineering and biology. She found it exciting to learn how science was applied in the real world, and this project is a perfect example of that. She loves working with this amazing group of girls, Mrs. Morrow, and Mr. Gunn, to use science to create a desk that can help other kids get an education and an opportunity to discover their own passion for learning. Along with science, she also loves to paint and draw. She adores the sports of running and swimming, and she participates in the school's state champion cross country, swimming, and track teams.

Abbie Cochell is in the ninth grade at Providence Day School and loves the science and engineering competitions she participates in. In sixth grade, she first became interested in science and engineering when her teacher, Mrs. Morrow, encouraged her to participate in the STEM competition, eCybermission. Since then, she has competed in it for four consecutive years and was thrilled when she, Haley Ritchie, and Katherine Holway won the national competition in eighth grade. She has also participated in Science Olympiad for three years and was on the Science Quiz Bowl team in seventh grade. She is very excited about receiving The Lemelson-MIT Grant and cannot be more thankful for this incredible opportunity to work on the project with ten other amazing girls. Aside from being a part of these STEM programs, she has been on her year round swim team for the past six years. She is an avid swimmer and has also been a Girl Scout since second grade.

Taylor Gerlach is a freshman at Providence Day School. She is excited to be part of the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam, Charger Potential. The opportunity to work on the project with nine of her best friends, along with two amazing mentors, is incredible. Her interest in science began in seventh grade when she competed with Providence Day's Science Olympiad team. Taylor is/has been involved in a variety of STEM related courses and activities including Science Olympiad, 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the DuPont Challenge, and science and math courses. Outside of school, Taylor swims for a year round team, BadFish. She also enjoys being creative anywhere, but specifically in the art room and kitchen. Taylor has a special interest in working with special needs children and using her love of language to help those in her community.

Blaire Barton is in the ninth grade and has been at Providence Day School since TK. She is thrilled about receiving the Lemelson-MIT grant and is so excited to work on this project throughout the school year. She participated in Science Olympiad in Middle School, which fueled her interest in science. Aside from science, she is also involved in Cross Country running and lacrosse. She plays the piano and flute and enjoys spending time with her friends. She is very excited to work with Mr. Gunn, Mrs. Morrow, and the nine other amazing girls on the team, and she hopes to continue her work with STEM projects throughout the rest of her school career.

Alexandra Embs is in the ninth grade and has attended Providence Day since kindergarten. She is very thrilled to be a part of the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam. She so happy to be working with Mrs. Morrow, Mr. Gunn, and the nine other wonderful girls. Her science carrier began in middle school when she participated in Science Olympiad. She loves learning about all aspects of science, but  engineering and neuroscience particularly interest her. She enjoys learning languages and currently knows English and Spanish. At school she takes German III and Chinese II, and by the end of high school, she will be fluent in all four. Through these languages, she is able to be part of the Global Studies Diploma Program at her school. Alexandra also loves running and participates in the Providence Day cross country and track team. In her free time she also plays the piano. She is very grateful for this opportunity the Lemelson-MIT grant has given her and could not be more happy.

Haley Ritchie is a 9th grade student at Providence Day School. Her passion for science began at an early age and developed throughout middle school. In 6th grade, Haley and her teammates were national finalists in the eCybermission competition. In 8th grade, her team, along with Abbie Cochell and Katherine Holway, took home first place in the national competition. Haley also competed in Science Olympiad in 7th and 8th grade. As well as science she enjoys running, and she has been a runner for her school's cross country and track teams. Haley is an active leader at her church and likes to volunteer regularly.

Kelly Albert is a junior at Providence Day School. She has participated in gymnastics for the past 10 years, and she is currently a leader of First Grade Buddies. She is an avid pole vaulter on the Varsity Track team, and she is also competing in the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge. Kelly enjoys the challenge of innovating while aiding others in need and giving to others the same opportunities she has been given. Over the past two summers, Kelly participated in the Duke Marine Lab and Vanderbilt Summer Academy programs. She enjoys working with the girls on the Lemelson MIT InvenTeam and is eager to make a difference in the lives of those around the world.

Katherine Holway is a freshman at Providence Day School and has had an interest in science from a young age. She started competing in seventh grade when her teacher, Mrs. Morrow, introduced her to the engineering opportunities. She was thrilled to enter many science competitions, including a STEM competition called eCybermission, in which she and her teammates advanced to the national level. Since then, she has loved working with science, and she is thrilled to have this wonderful opportunity to work on the G.R.I.D. System. Katherine also participates in many sports including cross country, track, and basketball.

Rose Delle Fave is in the ninth grade at Providence Day School. She first became involved in Science in seventh grade when she participated in the Science Quiz Bowl. In eighth grade, she competed in the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge. Both competitions contributed largely to her passion for science. In addition to science, she is also a talented dancer and enjoys using her unique creativity by working on art projects. She is excited for this incredible opportunity to showcase and improve her engineering skills.

Grace Clements is a sophomore at Providence Day School. She has been attending Providence Day for eleven years. This is her fifth year participating in Science Olympiad. She is also a member of the Science Bowl, Students for South Africa, Human Rights Alliance, and World Quest clubs. She competes in cross country and track & field. She volunteers at her local science museum, Discovery Place, during the summer. She is so grateful to have the opportunity to work on the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam.