Future innovations are limited by undiversified accessibility to scientific supplies, principles, exploration, and high-quality training. 

A lack of scientific training and support is a common barrier to scientific research project creation and development in communities predominantly occupied by black and brown students and educators. 

Wealth is a huge determinant of who conducts research in high school and who doesn’t. In addition, wealth dictates who participates in high-stakes competitions.

The Hidden Prodigy Project will provide

  • STEM Scientific Innovation seminars

  • Review the fundamentals of Research Methods

    • Flipped classrooms clarify the scientific method and research methods

  • Presentation training classes to expedite the competition preparedness process

    • Masterclasses on presentation skills and building ideas in science presentation design

  • Discipline-specific, scientific mentorship

    • Top participants will receive coding lessons, high-speed laptops to complete their research, and join virtual meetings

    • Mentors will support students' understanding of scientific principles

    • The HiPP will provide materials, equipment, and training to bring student ideas and innovations to fruition

  • Cash Prizes for the Top 10, 2024-25 participants

Educators (principals, guidance counselors, and teachers)

  • • Identify students showing math and science academic achievement in low to middle-income and underrepresented areas.

    • Only EDUCATORS can nominate and apply on behalf of ONE student per academic year. A maximum of 4 students per school can be nominated per academic year. All HiPP student participants MUST receive a nomination from a school official/educator.

    • Provide demographic information that includes but is not limited to

    1. Does the school receive Title I funding? What percentage of students receive aid?

    2. What percentage of students attend college? Four-year colleges?

    3. What extracurricular activities in STEM currently exist at the school?

    4. What percentage of students receive free or reduced lunch?

    5. What percentage of students take the SATs and ACTs? What are the median Math and Reading scores?

    6. What number of AP STEM courses are offered at the school?

  • • Students must be in grades 8 - 11.

    • Students must attend a public or private high school in New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and California and identify as self-motivated, innovative, resilient, and inventive young scientists.

    • Ensure nominated student is aware of all HiPP student expectations

  • Teacher nominators can nominate a student here (please note → application information is NOT saved). Review all questions and requirements before beginning the application.

Hidden Prodigy Project Student Expectations

  • Projects must be student-initiated. HiPP candidates should be motivated, independent learners

  • Candidates must be available and committed to spending the necessary time on their project (more working hours are expected during summer months)

  • Preferably students live in an area where access to high speed internet is available. Scholarships can be provided if needed.

    1. What brought you to your love of science?

    2. What has inhibited your ability to bring those scientific pursuits to completion?

    3. Students' stories should be synonymous with the theme of underprivileged or underrepresented STEM students.

    NOTE WELL: Student stories and academic hindrances will be incorporated into the final competition jury selection and judging rubric.

  • If selected, students must be willing to travel for the HiPPs final presentation phase (date TBD)

  • HiPP hopes to stay in contact with all participants in order to track their successes, but also to engage them In future competitions as possible judges, mentors and experts.

HiPP Competition and Conference Overview

  • All HiPP nomination applications will be reviewed and assessed based on the criteria outlined previously.

  • The Hidden Prodigy Project jury panel will vet the nominations and award the 10 most deserving students an opportunity to receive STEM research training and work with specialized research scientists/mentors to perfect their research project and make it competition-ready.

  • Final projects are presented to a panel of expert jurors, including Dr. Serena McCalla. All final projects will have critiques and support for improvement.

    1. All top 10 students win a high-RAM laptop computer.

    2. All top 10 students will have an edited presentation board printed and mounted after the training and project completion.

    3. All Top 10 students will receive an all-expense paid trip to NY to compete with other HiPP finalists.

    4. All Top 10 students win additional prize money enabling participation in high-stakes competitions such as the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) giving them the skill and potential to win thousands of dollars as well as national recognition from top universities.

    5. All Top 10 students will be recognized on our website, and promoted nationally and internationally.