In a world driven by curiosity and expertise, high school students from various schools in Frisco ISD came together to showcase their independent research and mentorship experiences at this year’s Independent Study and Mentorship (ISM) Program Showcase held on Jan. 28. The event, held at The National Soccer Hall of Fame at Toyota Stadium, featured an impressive range of topics, from data science and psychology to dermatology and cosmetology.
“One of the goals of ISM is to help students develop their professional communication skills, presentation skills, and grow in their confidence,” Lesli Russell said, the ISM coordinator at Lebanon Trail High School. “Events like the Showcase and Final Presentation Night give students an opportunity to show their family, friends, mentors, and members of the community all of the hard work they have been engaged in this year, as well as a chance to discuss their future plans, not only in ISM, but as they plan to attend college and as they enter into the professional world.”
The ISM program provides students with the unique opportunity to delve deeply into a subject of their choice, working alongside mentors who are professionals in their respective fields. Throughout the year, students conduct research, develop projects, and gain hands-on experience, culminating in a presentation at the annual showcase which gives them the opportunity to share their passions and how that research connects to them.
“I think I’ve been passionate about Dermatology for a while,” Ketki Vernekar, a junior ISM student, said. “People really close to me have their skin affect them in some way or another and to be able to do something in a field that genuinely affects everyone is really cool to me, so it only made sense to pick Dermatology for my ISM topic too.”
Walking through the showcase, attendees could see the depth of research and enthusiasm that each student brought to their topic. Informational posters, interactive presentations, and even live demonstrations filled the venue as students eagerly shared their findings with parents, mentors, and fellow students.
“It was genuinely such a rewarding experience,” Vernekar said. “Being able to share my product that I put so much time into with so many individuals allowed me to get so much feedback and really just gave me the chance to share my product with the world, which was ultimately my goal when starting ISM.”
One presentation examined how birth order and sibling dynamics shape personality. The student designed a personality assessment to explore trends, finding that first borns often take on leadership roles while younger siblings tend to be more adaptable or rebellious. Researching these psychological findings play a significant role in promoting the product, which isn’t always a walk in the park.
“The biggest challenge I faced during my research was finding articles that actually matched my topic and the final product personality test that I will be making,” Ira Tendulkar, a senior ISM student, said. “The reason being that my specific area of personality tests involves sibling dynamics and birth order, which is not a very well-versed area in the psychology field.”
A defining aspect of the ISM program is the mentorship experience, which allows students to connect with industry professionals. These mentors not only provide guidance but also help students apply their knowledge in real-world settings while also building relationships with their students.
“Classroom instruction can deliver and test for content, whereas mentorship delivers insights and trains critical thinking skills and it’s a much older teaching method,” Nevan Hanumara, a Mechanical Engineering Professor and Student Mentor at MIT, said. “Moreover, mentorship opens the door to two way learning. I always tell the students in our MIT Medical Device Design class, which is a capstone / graduate level design experience, that I learn more from than I can teach them.”
As the showcase came to a close, it was clear that the ISM program fosters not only academic excellence but also personal growth. By pursuing independent study, students gain critical skills in research, public speaking, and networking—tools that will serve them well in their future careers.
“Skills I have gained through ISM that will benefit me in college are presentation and networking skills, because they are very essential for performing well in this class,” Tendulkar said.
The ISM Program Showcase stands as a testament to the power of student-driven learning, proving that with passion and mentorship, the possibilities are endless.
