Senior Symposium Demonstrates Intellectual Mastery and Curiosity

Each spring, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School honors a longstanding tradition that underscores the heart of its academic mission: the Senior Symposium. More than just a milestone, the Symposium represents the culmination of each student’s intellectual journey—an opportunity for seniors to present their capstone research and demonstrate the depth, discipline, and curiosity that have defined their time at Heathwood.

In front of peers, faculty, and invited guests, students share not only the findings of their work, but also the personal significance behind their chosen topics. This year’s Class of 2025 took on topics that spanned disciplines, cultures, and contemporary issues. From the neurological effects of sleep deprivation to the ethical consequences of fast fashion, and from debates over NIL policies to the future of nuclear energy in the United States, each presentation reflected a deep engagement with both research and relevance.

Some students tackled pressing societal issues—such as childhood obesity reform, military sexual violence, and online gambling among adolescents. Others explored intersections between science and society, including topics like genetic screening for Alzheimer’s disease, ultra-processed foods and public health, and digital immortality. Still others turned their attention to the arts, athletics, and culture, analyzing political rap, karaoke ethnography, and the mental health of student athletes.

What united these projects was not only their range, but their depth. Every paper was grounded in months of rigorous research and sharpened through the guidance of a faculty mentor. Students were challenged not only to study their subjects but to articulate why their work matters—what questions it answers, what debates it advances, and what impact it might have.

Described by Head of Upper School George Scouten as “the culmination of a student’s academic journey at Heathwood,” the Symposium is more than a final assignment—it is a rite of passage. 

As these students prepare to take their next steps beyond Heathwood, the lessons learned in their research and presentations will serve as a foundation for continued exploration, growth, and impact. 

2024/25 Full List of Senior Symposium Topics:

Public Policy, Law & Society

• McCullough Adams — Women in Policing: A Look at Female-Targeted Recruitment Policies
• Sofia Basile — When Will It End? An Examination of Solutions to End Military Sexual Violence Against Women in the United States Armed Forces
• Taylor Brave — The Tension Between Morality and Constitutionality in America’s Prison Healthcare System
• Grayson Hawn — Free Speech in the Modern Public Square
• Hunter Hodges — (Un)bearable Arms?: What the Second Amendment Means in 2025
• Joseph Hauk — The Next Dot-Com?: Examining AI in Light of Past Tech Crashes
• Priya McLaughlin — The Breath Beneath the Bark: An Ethical Examination of the Respiratory Consequences of Selective Breeding in Pedigree Dogs
• Robert Tighe — Sportswashing in the Middle East: Political Influence Through Mega-Events

Mental & Physical Health

• Matthew Black — Running for Neurogenesis: An Age-Based Analysis of Aerobic Exercise on Brain Function and Development
• Louise Christian — Alcohol Use Among Adolescents: Lasting Impacts on Brain Function, Development, and Mental Health
• Josiah Coney — The Effects of Stress on Adolescents: A Neurobiological Perspective
• Shamarie Hayes — Lost in the High: The Long-Term Consequences of Early Substance Use
• Riley Livingston — The Physiological Effects of Poor Sleep on Adolescents and Young Adults
• Natalie Johnson — Genetic Screening for Alzheimer’s: Advantage or Disadvantage?
• SaBreya Monsanto — Mental Health in High School Student Athletes: Challenges and Support Strategies
• Nic Nichols — ACL Ruptures: How Faster Recovery Times Improve Mental Health
• Nellie Stuckey — Beyond Words: The Power of Dance Movement Therapy for PTSD Recovery

Youth & Education

• Daryn Binns — Understanding the Decline of Black Male College Enrollment: Causes and Consequences
• Camillea Gore — The Neglect of Athletes’ Mental Health
• Matthew Golden — Bridging the Technology Gap for Low-Income Students
• Tristen McCleary — Children in Nature: The Benefits of Outdoor Play
• Kaitlyn McFarland — Orphan Diseases: Building Community in a Digitized World
• Cal Peterson — Our Children Are Growing: School Policy Reform to Combat Childhood Obesity
• Kate Tucker — The Benefits of Music Education for Students with Autism

Science & Environment

• Sophie Chen — A Rise in Type 2 Diabetes in Youth: Causes and Prevention
• Jacob Hanna — Nuclear Energy: The Need for Efficient, Sustainable Power in the U.S.
• James Hudson — Protecting Africa’s Giants: Conservation Solutions for Elephants and Rhinos
• Mac King — Feral Hogs and Their Environmental and Economic Impacts
• James Stone — Delaying Turkey Season: A Conservation Solution for South Carolina
• Zane Truesdale — Poisoning From Within: The Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods on America’s Health

Culture, Media & Technology

• Cam Beck — Sure We Never Loved the Devil Here: Trauma and Vigilante Identity in Bendis’s Early Daredevil
• Lilly Grace Brown — Media Bias and Public Perception of Cults
• Taylor Darby — The Lies Behind the Label: An In-Depth Look at the Fast Fashion Industry
• Emma Edwards — Why Ozempic?
• Jack Gilchrist — The Importance of Political Rap
• Lauren Jacobs — The Negative Impacts of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health
• Penelope Mann — The Counterintuitive Reality of Cancel Culture in Stand-Up Comedy
• Molly McVey — Formula One: How Documentaries and Social Media Shape the Future of Sports Marketing
• Mary Frances Ruskell — There’s Something About Harry: An Ethnographic Study of Saturday Night Karaoke at Uncle Fester’s
• Dakota Shiflett — The Effects of Media Bias in Glamorizing Crime

Sports, Recreation & Performance

• Davis Hughes — Trackman Technology: Helping or Hurting Golf?
• Jordan Kennedy — Olympic Weightlifting and High School Athletes
• Onis Konanbanny — NIL Rules and International Athletes: Leveling the Playing Field
• Sellers McGee — The Impact of NIL on College Football
• Wilson Miller — Post-Civil War Reconstruction in South Carolina
• Michael Nardella — Sports Betting and Its Effects on Youth
• Ramsey Smith — Conference Realignment: The Wild West of College Sports
• Michael Tumlin — What Is the Safest Football Helmet for Linemen?

Innovation, Ethics & the Future

• Edgar Jackson — Clipped Wings: Flying to the Dream in Different Directions
• Joseph Song — How to Cook a Perfect Steak: A Comprehensive Approach
• Noah Smith — Understanding the Decline: Challenges and Solutions for the Future of Military Recruitment
• Asher Zhong — A Blueprint for Digital Ascension: Digital Immortality and Safeguarding Against AI Supremacy

• Thank You to Our Outside Contributors

• We extend our gratitude to the many professionals and experts who generously shared their time, knowledge, and insight with our students. Your contributions played a vital role in shaping the quality and depth of their research. We are grateful for your support in helping our students grow as scholars, thinkers, and future leaders. Thank you for being a part of their academic journey.

• Dr. Anthony Alberg
• Dr. Carlton Andrews
• Dr. Charlotte Anderson
• Mr. Adam Balph
• Dr. John Baker
• Dr. Sang-eun Byun
• Dr. Brenton Coe
• Dr. Virginia Cooper
• Mrs. Patty Daso
• Dr. Bryan Denham
• Dr. Mathieu Deflem
• Mr. Tom Dougall
• Dr. Johnathan Engh
• Ms. Aisha Foy
• Dr. Lacy Ford
• Mrs. Judi Gatson
• Dr. Gwen Geidel
• Mr. Garth Glissman
• Mr. Mike Goodwin
• Ms. Markeisha Grant
• Dr. Michael M. Grant
• Mr. Anthony Hampton
• Mr. McRay Hunter
• Dr. Tupp Iseman
• Mr. Adam Kaplan
• Mr. Michael Kennedy
• Dr. Robert Kopack
• Ms. Carson Lillard
• Dr. Kevin Mastro
• Dr. Alicia McFarland
• Dr. Mark Minett
• Mr. Matt Moore
• Dr. Scott Mourtgos
• Jared Muth
• Dr. Jennifer Ng
• Dr. Frank Noojin
• Dr. Melinda O'Leary
• Dr. Cara O'Neill
• Dr. Russell Pate
• Mr. Ryan Peck
• Lieutenant Colonel Rachel J. Phillips, USAF
• Marissa Porreca MS, RD, LD
• Dr. Raylene Ross
• Mr. Charles Ruth
• Mr. Paulo Senra
• Mr. Roger Sipe
• Dr. Mark Smith
• Mr. Chris Sparrow
• Ms. Anita Stevens
• Dr. Yi Sun
• Colonel Bradley Vance
• Dr. Sriram Venkataraman
• Dr. Jennifer Watson
• Mr. Reggie Williams
• Dr. Christopher Williams
• Dr. Katelin Williamson
• Mr. Jason Wolfe
• Dr. Qiana Whitted
• Dr. Nicholas Younginer

Click here for pictures.