Note from the Directors

Wrapping up our 10th Year

As we wrap up the 10th year of our program, we’re filled with gratitude—for the remarkable students who inspire us daily with their curiosity and commitment to using science as a force for good, for the alumni who continue to make us proud as they thrive in college and beyond, and for the continued support from Carlmont High School, the district, and our extended community of parents and professionals. This milestone year has given us much to celebrate, and we’re deeply thankful to be part of a program that continues to grow, evolve, and make a lasting impact.

A Heartfelt Thank You to Two Parent Volunteers Who Are Graduating

We extend our deepest thanks to Ulla Foehr for her dedicated service as the BTI/CAF Liaison. Her thoughtful guidance and steady support have been invaluable, and we are truly grateful for all she has contributed. Ulla and her husband, Matt Foehr, have supported BTI since its inception—both have served as keynote speakers at our events and have generously shared their time and expertise. As their daughter graduates, we wish the entire Foehr family all the best. Ulla and Matt, thank you for the many ways you’ve enriched our program.

We’re also pleased to welcome Kaushik Das as the new BTI/CAF Liaison. His son will be joining the Class of 2028, and we look forward to his involvement in the years ahead.

Additionally, our sincere thanks go to Shirley Chan for her time and commitment as the Class Representative for the Class of 2026. As her daughter graduates, we’re glad to continue the connection through her son, a member of the Class of 2027. Thank you, Shirley!

Thank You for Your Generous Support

We are incredibly grateful to our community for your generous contributions to CAF and BTI this year. Thanks to your support, we are thrilled to announce that we have raised over $47,000, which will help us continue providing the educational experiences that make this program truly exceptional. Your commitment makes a lasting impact—thank you!

It is not too late to contribute. BTI families are able to allocate a portion of their CAF donation to the BTI program. Here is the link to make a donation. We encourage you to support both BTI and CAF as generously as your pocketbooks will allow.

Seeking Field Trip Opportunities for BTI Students

Thanks to the generosity of BTI parents at Genentech, the Class of 2026 will have the exciting opportunity to visit their campus next year. We are now seeking leads for similar field trips to biotechnology companies for the Class of 2027 and the Class of 2028.

If you or someone you know might be able to help coordinate a visit, here are a few key details to share with company leadership:

• We are looking for field trips that can accommodate 54 students and a minimum of 3 chaperones.
• We need at least 4 months lead-time for planning.
• The earliest we can depart Carlmont High School is 9:00 AM, and we would need to return by 2:30 PM.
• If the visit extends through lunch, we can bring bagged lunches—provided there is a place for students to sit and eat.
• We would be arriving in two school buses, which would need a place to park during our visit.
• Because we are a large group, host companies often divide students into smaller groups to rotate through various experiences. These might include lab tours, presentations in conference rooms, or career talks. Students especially enjoy learning about professionals' career paths and day-to-day roles in the biotech industry.

If your company might be interested in hosting, or if you have a potential lead, please reach out—we’d love to hear from you! Susan Gold, sgold@seq.org and Jaime Abdilla, jabdilla@seq.org.

In this issue:

• BTI Alumni News
• BTI's 10th Anniversary
• Welcome Class of 2028
• Class of 2025 at the Oakland Zoo
• Thank you, Mentors of the Class of 2026

The BTI family extends to Alumni

We love hearing from our alumni!

It was a lovely surprise when two BTI alumni showed up to help celebrate the program's 10th birthday! (More on the festivities later in the newsletter.)

Daniel Moskovits, BTI Class of 2024 (right), came to the celebration while home on spring break from Lawrence University. He was invited by his sister (next to him), a current BTI student.

In honor of BTI’s 10th anniversary, we also invited alumni to share photos and updates about what they’re up to now.

Sam Dechaine is double majoring in Politics and Biotechnology at UC Santa Cruz and balancing three jobs! She works at UCSC's Disability Resource Center providing testing accommodations and was recently promoted to supervisor, managing a team of 50. She's also a photographer for the USCS media department—many her photos appear on the university's Instagram and LinkedIn pages.

In addition, Sam has launched her own senior portraits business, and is offering discounted sessions for UCSC students and local youth in San Mateo County! She built her own website and already has a growing list of clients.

Enzo Chen is majoring in Molecular Cell Biology and works as a lab assistant in Jennifer Doudna's lab at the Innovative Genomics Institute, where he is editing T-cells to treat genetic diseases. He's also a member of Berkeley's iGEM club and is working on genetically engineering L. Lactis to produce antifungals in cheese.

Outside the lab, Enzo is learning how to fence and wears a small harmonica necklace so he can play music everywhere he goes—a nod to his Carlmont/BTI days. You can also check out his food reviews on Instagram: @chenzos_berkeley_bites

Megan Kerby, another BTI Class of 2024 alum, is studying in Biology with a Human Bio emphasis at UC Merced. She’s conducting an atmospheric carbon survey with the Ben Hur Research Institute and Air Gradient, measuring harmful particles in the San Joaquin Valley.

Megan is also part of a selective cohort of 25 students conducting fieldwork for the National Park Service and UC Merced, studying beetles in sequoia trees and river sediment to assess environmental health. Her work has taken her to Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks. She’s also preparing a research paper for publication in the UC Merced Undergraduate Research Journal.

Téa Pusey, a 2018 alum, earned a BA in Sociology and minors in Natural Sciences Education and Psychology at UC Merced. She's now pursuing in Ph.D. at UC Davis. Her dissertation, focuses on justice-oriented teaching practices among award-winning undergraduate science faculty.

As a Graduate Student Researcher, Téa is involved in a wide range of projects with her advisor, Dr. Alexis Patterson-Williams. She is writing a paper on integrating culturally relevant practices in a Veterinary Medicine Summer Camp for middle school and high school students, and is writing a chapter for a book on the ways that teachers' political clarity influences how culturally relevant science instruction is enacted in the classroom. She is also writing a collaborative literature review on how researchers have used social network analysis to attend to equity in STEM learning. Additionally, she is working on a project and potential book on justice-oriented pedagogy in K-12 education. She also works as an editorial assistant for the Journal of Education Finance and Policy.

BTI theater fans will be thrilled to know Téa is still active on stage! She has performed in three productions with the Davis Musical Theater Company and the Woodland Opera House. Even more exciting—she's now directing musicals for the Young Performers Theater at the Davis Musical Theater Complany. Her production of The Addams Family is currently up for an award, and she’s directing Annie Jr. this spring.

Hunter Crawford-Shelmadine has graduated from San Diego State University with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies spanning biology, child and family development, and elementary studies. She’s currently coaching girls’ water polo at Carlmont, working at REI, and preparing to start substitute teaching.

We are so proud of our alumni and can’t wait to see what they do next!

Happy 10th Birthday, BTI!

BTI celebrated its 10th anniversary with a lively lunchtime party complete with cake, party hats, and noisemakers. To make the occasion even more meaningful, Ms. Abdilla organized a community service project. Students assembled birthday cake kits—complete with a helpful baking tip: for a standard cake mix, you can substitute a can of soda for eggs and oil! The kits were donated to the Carlmont Pantry and Samaritan House. Students also created cheerful birthday cards for Meals on Wheels to share with their clients.

Welcome to BTI, Class of 2028!

This August, 54 new students will join the BTI community. Last month, they gathered for the first time at an after-school pizza party, where they had a chance to meet each other and start building connections. We’re excited to welcome them into our classrooms in the fall!

Many thanks to Amy Mehdizadeh for volunteering as the Class of 2028 parent representative!

Senior Bonding Day at the Oakland Zoo

The field trip to the Oakland Zoo was a well-deserved break for our graduating class, offering a chance to unwind and connect with classmates before the final push to graduation. Students spent the day exploring animal exhibits, taking in the breathtaking view at the Landing Café, and making lasting memories. It was a perfect way to celebrate their accomplishments and strengthen the bonds that have grown over the years.

Thank you, Mentors!

Every year, each of our eleventh-grade students is matched with a professional whose career interests them. They build a special relationship over six months and students even shadow them at work one day. Mentors give feedback on students' resumes, help them set goals, and might even go out for coffee or a walk to catch up. We can't thank our mentors enough. They have dedicated a great deal of their time and expertise to making a difference in our students' lives. We are also grateful to our mentor coordinator, Mr. Fabic for finding these fabulous volunteers. Below is a list of the mentors and photos from our end-of-the-year breakfast.

Thank you, mentors for the stimulating job-shadow experiences!