On December 8th, the MST Senior Symposium was held at the Zellerbach administration center. Seniors presented the internship projects that they completed over the summer to the Camas School District community as well as MST students of other grade levels who gained insight on the opportunities awaiting them. After the poster fair, a school board meeting was held where Sophie Jacobs and Lena Ruddy had the opportunity to formally present their internships to the CSD Board and community.

Ms. Ruddy completed her internship with Fircrest Behavioral Health, where she conducted research on the relationship between screen use and self-regulation in teens with ADHD. Her study examined whether technology affects adolescents with ADHD differently than their neurotypical peers, using surveys and interviews to assess screen time habits, mental health effects, and the role of parental involvement. Her findings indicate that while excessive screen use negatively impacts all teens, those with ADHD face greater difficulty regulating screen time independently and benefit significantly from parental limits and guidance. As someone with an ADHD family member, Ms. Ruddy found that this project allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of the varied perspectives and experiences of individuals with ADHD. You can view her poster here: Technology’s Impacts on Regulation in Children with ADHD.

Ms. Jacobs interned with the Office of the Public Legal Assistant (OPLA). Although she began her internship without a predefined research focus, her early experiences and observations within the office allowed her to identify a practical need and independently shape the direction of her project. Her project focused on the potential use of RFID technology to improve file tracking within immigration law systems. Her research explored how passive RFID tags and portable scanners could streamline the location and management of legal case files, reducing inefficiencies and minimizing reliance on manual processes. By designing and evaluating a prototype RFID tagging system, Ms. Jacobs demonstrated how emerging technologies could be effectively adapted for legal settings to improve accuracy, accessibility, and operational efficiency. You can view her poster here: Potential Applications of RFID Technology in Immigration Law.

Congratulations to the seniors for completing their final year of MST research! We are all inspired by your amazing work.