August 2025
The 2025 edition of the Journal of Young Scientists will soon be available in print, with free digital access on our website starting September 9th! This month, we’ll be visiting schools to deliver copies to our scholars—who can now proudly say they are published authors. We plan to celebrate their accomplishments and begin building excitement for those entering or continuing the Life as a Scientist program. We are so proud of the work these students have accomplished this year and can’t wait to share their findings with you. Stay tuned to our social media in September for early access to the journal!
Rise Up volunteer Avi Gupta
Volunteer spotlight
This summer, we're shining a light on the amazing people who dedicate their time, energy, and passion to Rise Up’s Life as a Scientist program. This month, we're thrilled to feature Avi Gupta, one of our incredibly talented volunteer Teaching Fellows!
Avi is a rising senior at Case Western Reserve University, majoring in Biology. Avi also serves as a Residential Assistant in the first year dorms, and is on the CWRU Division III Track and Field team. When he’s not in the lab or studying, Avi lends his knowledge and enthusiasm to our students, helping to inspire the next generation of young scientists.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself or something you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoy watching football! I am a huge fan of Chelsea FC and the U.S. National Team.
How did you get started volunteering with Rise Up?
Growing up in Hawaii, my high school had a similar outreach program where we volunteered to teach in low-income areas of the island. This experience impressed upon me the importance of investing in the community, and Rise Up seemed like the perfect continuation of what I started in high school.
What motivates you to give back to the community?
While living in Hawaii, I was taught the importance of maintaining our community ohana (Ohana translates to family in Hawaiian). From helping out on local farms in the area, to teaching biology at a middle school across the street from my high school, I have always looked for opportunities to empower my local ohana.
What's your favorite aspect of volunteering?
Interacting with the students! I love getting to show them why I think science is so much fun. I think modern education can alienate many students into subjects they would be otherwise passionate about. I enjoy getting to know the students.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking of volunteering?
Do it! While it can feel stressful at first, my experience has proven to be very worthwhile, and I highly recommend volunteering to anyone!
Anything else you would like the reader to know about Rise Up or your experience as a volunteer?
In today’s age, where politics have become entangled with education for our students, organizations such as Rise Up only grow in importance and significance. Serving as one of the few ways for which higher education can empower the surrounding community, maintaining organizations such as Rise Up only helps our education system in the long run.
Thank you, Avi for your dedication to Rise Up!
Funders for 2025-26
Funding update
We are excited to announce new and renewed funding that will allow us to continue expanding opportunities for young scientists in Cleveland. We are deeply grateful to the Society for Science, the Treu-Mart Fund, the Thomas H. White Foundation, the Abington Foundation, and the Reinberger Foundation for their generous support. We are honored to be among the fantastic organizations that they support and hope to continue their legacy of providing unique services to those who need it most.
These investments will strengthen our Life as a Scientist program, the Rise Up Scholars program, STEM Teaching Enrichment workshops, our community popup science events across Cleveland, and provide general operating support for our organization. Together, these initiatives help hundreds of students each year explore hands-on science, connect with mentors, and envision futures in STEM.
We look forward to building on this momentum and sharing more stories of student discovery and achievement in the months ahead—thanks to the commitment of our incredible partners.
Where we stand
At Rise Up, we believe every child deserves access to a strong, well-resourced education. But right now, public schools in our community are facing serious challenges. The new state budget commits nearly $2.5 billion to private school vouchers—the largest amount in Ohio’s history. This undermines our public school systems, which have long been under attack. For districts like Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), which serves nearly 39,000 students, this means staff reductions, cuts to after-school services, and fewer summer learning opportunities.
This shift is not just about numbers—it’s about real consequences in the classroom. When funding falls short, public schools are forced to cut programs, increase class sizes, and ask teachers to do more with less. Meanwhile, the rapid expansion of voucher programs directs public dollars toward private schools, leaving public schools—which serve the vast majority of students—struggling to close the gap.
Public schools serve nearly 90% of Ohio’s students. When they are underfunded, every child feels the impact. While we work to help fill some of the gaps that exist in our community, lasting change must come at the state and national level to ensure equitable education for all. Together, we can make sure Cleveland’s students have the resources, teachers, and opportunities they deserve.
