To see the GALS 2018 group’s research, click here or click on each girl’s Research Question to see individual research posters.
Faithanne Blackwell
Hometown: Hendersonville, NC
Grade: 10
High School: East Henderson High School
Fun Fact: I love reading with all my heart.
Favorite Thing About Science: I like that, even when your hypothesis is wrong, you end up being right because you found the answer.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: I loved all the amazing lessons we had. I especially enjoyed the panels because we met so many strong and independent women.
What I Learned During GALS: I learned leadership, advocacy, problem solving, and so many other important things.
Research Question: Does soil chemistry affect vegetation abundance and biodiversity?
Sommiya Brown
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Grade: 9
High School: Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy
Fun Fact: I like nuggets and beaches.
Favorite Thing About Science: I am always curious, and science explains the world.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: I loved making a song for GALS.
What I Learned During GALS: I learned how to make testable questions.
Research Question: How do the soil chemistry and plant growth in human impacted areas differ from those of non-human impacted areas?
Aaliyah Carroll
Hometown: Goldsboro, NC
Grade: 11
High School: Goldsboro High
Fun Fact: I am very complex, and I can adapt very quickly.
Favorite Thing About Science: I like experiments and learning new things about the world around me.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: I like how we all worked together as a team to get stuff done like hiking, putting on packs, and getting water.
What I Learned During GALS: I learned how to survive in the wilderness with the resources around me and how to protect myself.
Research Question: Are rocks with algae a good living environment for macroinvertebrates?
Mariana De La Cruz-Plata
Hometown: Siler City, NC
Grade: 12
High School: Jordan Matthews High School
Fun Fact: I love to look at and draw plants.
Favorite Thing About Science: My favorite thing in science is working in streams and turning rocks around to see what is underneath.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: I loved getting to see bears for the first time.
What I Learned During GALS: During GALS, I learned how to work on a team. I also learned that I should never say that I can’t do something–because I CAN!
Research Question: Is there more plant biodiversity near water or near trails?
Brianna Evans
Hometown: Mebane, NC
Grade: 9
High School: Cedar Ridge High School
Fun Fact: I am very funny and make a lot of cringey jokes.
Favorite Thing About Science: I like getting to experiment with things in labs.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: I loved all the laughter and inside jokes. I also met my new best friend!
What I Learned During GALS: I learned about a lot of science topics. I learned to quiet and lower my voice. I also learned that it is “refried beans,” not “ratified beans” and “teach” not “tech.”
Research Question: What is the vegetation like by a stream in the wilderness vs. the vegetation by a stream in the city?
Za’kiree Furlow
Hometown: Durham, NC
Grade: 10
High School: Northern High School
Fun Fact: I love to sing and have been playing volleyball for six years.
Favorite Thing About Science: I love the experiments.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: My favorite memory was when we first shared our “rose, bud, thorn.”
What I Learned During GALS: I learned to always make my voice heard and never let myself be silenced.
Research Question: What rocks are found in land vs. water?
Elizabeth Gagnon
Hometown: Washington, NC
Grade: 10
High School: Beaufort County Early College
Fun Fact: My favorite color is mint green.
Favorite Thing About Science: I like report writing because it highlights my writing talent. I also enjoy presenting my findings.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: I loved climbing John Rock and seeing the view from the top.
What I Learned During GALS: I learned how to have patience with people.
Research Question: Does the velocity of freshwater streams affect the size and abundance of rocks?
A’Nya Giles
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Grade: 12
High School: Hickory Ridge High School
Fun Fact: I have nine brothers.
Favorite Thing About Science: I love the hands-on part of science because it is an easy way to learn–by experimentation!
Favorite Memory from the Trip: I loved playing “library Wa” when we challenged the Ratified Beans to a nighttime “Wa-off.”
What I Learned During GALS: I learned how to cope with the outdoors and how to protect myself outside.
Research Question: What habitat do crayfish like to live in?
M’Niah Goins
Hometown: Durham, NC
Grade: 12
High School: Hillside High School
Fun Fact: I want to train a service dog in the future.
Favorite Thing About Science: My favorite thing about science is that science covers millions of topics in addition to what we typically think of, plants and animals.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: I loved Karen teaching me how to crack backs. Now I’m a professional back cracker!
What I Learned During GALS: I learned Spanish, how to dance, how to leave no trace, and what “crepusular” means.
Research Question: Do phosphate levels in Pisgah differ from phosphate levels in Durham?
AnaCarolyna Harris
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Grade: 10
High School: South East Raleigh High
Fun Fact: I have really small toes.
Favorite Thing About Science: I like that the unknown can become known. I love chemistry, testing substances and watching them react together.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: My favorite memory was eating s’mores and playing chubby bunny.
What I Learned During GALS: I learned about the different kinds of research hypotheses and questions. I also learned that there is so much more to life than phones and TV. There is so much to explore in the world–and not everything is scary, dirty, and stinky!
Research Question: Does stream size affect algae production?
Savannah Hicks
Hometown: Trinity, NC
Grade: 12
High School: Wheatmore High School
Fun Fact: I play tennis and participate in musical theater.
Favorite Thing About Science: I like learning how everything connects together.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: On the first night of backcountry, I realized that I had found a group of amazing friends who will always be there for me. I also liked licking a slug!
What I Learned During GALS: I learned how much environmental politics and environmental justice can impact people. I also learned how important it is to work together as well as how you can become so close to people in such a short time.
Research Question: What types of plants grow in the riparian zone, and how does that relate to the pH of the adjacent parts of two streams near the campsites?
Josie Holmes
Hometown: Trinity, NC
Grade: 11
High School: Wheatmore High School
Fun Fact: I love riding horses, training dogs, and hunting.
Favorite Thing About Science: I like learning about biology and animals.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: My favorite memory is seeing bears on our hike. I’m glad I made friends that will last a lifetime.
What I Learned During GALS: During GALS, I learned outdoor skills like how to camp properly. I also learned new science skills.
Research Question: Do ants like sweet or savory foods better?
Quessie Hunt
Hometown: Rowland, NC
Grade: 11
High School: South Robeson
Fun Fact: I am a Lumbee Native American. I enjoy being involved and helping others.
Favorite Thing About Science: My favorite thing about science is how unpredictable it is. You can come up with lots of different hypotheses, but the results still might end up completely surprising and amazing you.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: My favorite memory from the trip was burning matching bracelets out of rope. I thought that was really creative and felt like we bonded as a group.
What I Learned During GALS: I learned so many valuable things during this trip. I gained an experience I will forever cherish. I appreciate that I was given this opportunity that I will never be able to gain anywhere else.
Research Question: How does the presence of glitter relate to soil characteristics?
Zoey Locklear
Hometown: Clinton, NC
Grade: 10
High School: Clinton High School
Fun Fact: I am totally infatuated with classic rock music and anything related to sports.
Favorite Thing About Science: I love learning about human behavior and biodiversity.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: I really enjoyed our days on campus as well as speaking with the college and career panels.
What I Learned During GALS: I learned that with a positive attitude, I can accomplish anything I set my mind to!
Research Question: Are dissolved oxygen levels in a freshwater stream affected by increasing human disturbances located nearby?
Karen Lozano
Hometown: Winston-Salem, NC
Grade: 12
High School: Reagan High School
Fun Fact: I snorkeled in Biscayne Bay, FL. While there, I also picked up trash that people had discarded with little regard for nature.
Favorite Thing About Science: I like learning science hands-on by exploring, getting soil on my hands, and going into streams.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: I remember listening to Jackie explain the constellations while my new friends and I lay down on the soft grass and looked up at the stars.
Research Question: Does the size of the population of macroinvertebrates depend on the velocity of streams?
What I Learned During GALS: One thing I learned is that lichen are part of the process of turning rock into soil over millions of years.
Mikayla Mathews
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Grade: 12
High School: Voyager Academy Charter School
Fun Fact: I like animals.
Favorite Thing About Science: I enjoy learning how things like cells and stars work because it is interesting.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: My favorite memory is making s’mores and sitting by the fire because it was peaceful and we were able to bond during this time.
What I Learned During GALS: I learned what a career as a scientist is like and all the diverse things that scientists can do.
Research Question: How many bugs are in a given area?
Kimberly Nelson
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Grade: 11
High School: Vance High School
Fun Fact: I am very sociable and outgoing.
Favorite Thing About Science: I like how it is not something that stops–it is continuous every day. I like earth and environmental science.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: My favorite memory is making s’mores and getting to know each other. I am glad that I was given this amazing opportunity to get away from society.
What I Learned During GALS: I learned how to adapt to other people’s personalities. I also learned about the cycling of dissolved oxygen in streams.
Research Question: What soil characteristics determine the height of moss?
Adalizbeth Ponder
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Grade: 11
High School: Longleaf School of the Arts
Fun Fact: I play the flute in my school’s wind ensemble.
Favorite Thing About Science: I like learning the different processes it takes to get outcomes from scientific experiments. I also love the wonderful opportunities that science provides.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: My favorite memory was star gazing with the wonderful people I met at GALS. I also enjoyed the bracelet-making activity.
What I Learned During GALS: I learned to always respect others, no matter what their views are. I also learned to be patient with people.
Research Question: Are the types of macroinvertebrates and rock sizes varied based on stream size?
Karina Plasencia-Leos
Hometown: Durham, NC
Grade: 10
High School: Northern High School
Fun Fact: I am 4’11” and Mexican.
Favorite Thing About Science: I love how science is full of trial and error because if you fail, it is okay.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: My favorite memory from the trip was meeting such amazing people who I now call my friends.
What I Learned During GALS: I learned about ecology and minerals. I also learned how to leave no trace.
Research Question: When pH of stream water increases, does the number of mayflies increase?
Cheyanne Pratt-Richmond
Hometown: High Point, NC
Grade: 11
High School: The Point College Prep
Fun Fact: I have been playing drums for two years, and my band teacher already considers me an expert.
Favorite Thing About Science: I love chemistry and doing experiments with chemicals.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: My favorite memory is when our group became the Ratified Beans. I also loved getting to play in rivers and streams.
What I Learned During GALS: I learned that you should try new things, step out of your comfort zone sometimes, and make new friends. (I also learned how to set up a tent and how to poop in the woods.)
Research Question: Is stream velocity associated with increased pH?
Rayeshalyn Satterthwaite
Hometown: Washington, NC
Grade: 12
High School: Beaufort County Educational Technical Center
Fun Fact: My son and I love hot wings.
Favorite Thing About Science: I love chemistry and working with chemicals. It’s so fascinating.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: I remember that I kept falling but would always pick myself up. I also loved making great friends.
What I Learned During GALS: I learned how to come up with a testable question and hypothesis as well as how to test them to get a solution!
Research Question: Do the amounts of phosphate and nitrate change in a pool when the soil is disturbed?
Amaya Sheffield
Hometown: Apex, NC
Grade: 11
High School: Apex High School
Fun Fact: I run track.
Favorite Thing About Science: My favorite thing about science is being able to find new things that no one has ever thought about and being able to help other people gain knowledge that they never expected was out there.
Favorite Memory from the Trip: I loved playing Wa with the other groups and playing the ninja games.
What I Learned During GALS: I learned how to survive with less and realized all the things I do not really need.
Research Question: How fast can inchworms travel on different surfaces?
Adriana Tzintzun
Hometown: Asheboro, NC
Grade: 10
High School: Randolph Early College
Fun Fact: I dance “baile folklorico” (Mexican traditional dance) and LOVE it!
Favorite Thing About Science: There are so many things left unknown–so much left to do and discover!
Favorite Memory from the Trip: I loved the last river crossing because it gave me a sense of accomplishment and represented a symbolic milestone–I can do a lot more than I thought I could, and I have a lot of stamina.
What I Learned During GALS: Teamwork is crucial when you are in an uncomfortable situation. It makes everything much easier.
Research Question: Does stream velocity play a role in the organisms found in streams?
GALS NC 