A Venture Grant Adventure
More than 200 high school students from across the country applied for the prestigious Discovery to Cure Internship in women’s reproductive cancers at Yale University this summer.
Nia Jackson ’26 was one of just 19 who earned a coveted spot in the program, getting a taste of life as a lab scientist at one of the top research hospitals in the world.
“So far, I’ve performed plasmid DNA extractions, cell splitting, bacterial transformation, and much more,” she told her CA Science Teacher Breanna Craft, PhD, in an email. “Last Friday, I had the wonderful opportunity to step into the OR at Yale New Haven Hospital and operate the Da Vinci surgical robot to simulate real surgical techniques!”
On August 7, Nia presented her solo project, “ENPP1 Variants: Discovering the Impact of Early-Onset Metabolic Disorders,” to her summer classmates, Yale New Haven doctors and researchers, her family and friends, and Craft and fellow CA teacher Makaila English. One of those in the audience was Associate Research Scientist Muthukumaran Venkatachalapathy, her mentor for the summer.
“She’s an amazing student,” he said of Nia, who credited Dr. Venkatachalapathy with jumpstarting her dreams of a medical career.
Once set to become a surgeon, she’s now considering the thrill of medical discovery as a researcher.
“I was not expecting to miss the lab,” she said after her final summer presentation. “I can’t believe how much we learned in six weeks.”
It was no surprise to Craft, who, along with English, has been impressed by Nia, who will be CA’s head science intern this year. She is also CA’s head prefect and one of three captains of the Varsity Girls’ Soccer team.
“She has shown incredible initiative, motivation to learn more, and curiosity for science,” said Craft, the science department chair. “This summer opportunity at Yale was just the beginning for her!”
English agreed, recognizing Nia’s “remarkable” contributions as a science intern in a letter to her student.
“Your ability to multitask while maintaining focus on safety and proper procedure is particularly noteworthy,” she said. “Can’t wait to see all you do for science interns this year.”
Nia’s weeks at Yale were made possible, in part, through a Cheshire Academy Venture Grant. Endowed by the Rizzolo Family in honor of former Head of School Jerry Larson, the grant allows students to supplement their classroom curriculum with experiential learning. Grants typically range from $500 to $2,000 for student-proposed projects that merge “academic curiosity, passion, and adventure.”
Grants have helped students travel to Montana for an archeological project, complete the first draft of a novel, and fund a short film premiere.
Nia’s experience was also the extension of CA’s longstanding association with Yale. In the early 20th century, Cheshire, then called The Roxbury School, was a feeder school for the Ivy League university.
The chance to meet peers who share her aspirations, study alongside Yale students and take part in hands-on opportunities left Nia grateful for her studies with her Cheshire Academy teachers, who she thanked at the end of her presentation.
“I’m so grateful that during class, you really express the importance of learning the mechanism behind the concept and not just memorization,” she said, “along with enforcing the need for us to think about the real-world implications, because that has really helped me with understanding the work that we are doing here and how it is all connected to real life.”
