08/27/2026
🔬 BHS STEM Students Were Busy This Summer!
Several Berrien High School STEM students took their learning beyond the classroom this summer through competitive programs, college experiences, and hands-on research across Georgia.
⭐ Roper Wheeler – Georgia Governor’s Honors Program, Physics – Georgia Southern University
⭐ Kaitlyn Lott – UGA Young Scholars Program – UGA-Tifton
⭐ Sean Parker – UGA Young Scholars Program – UGA-Tifton
⭐ Jaiden Whitfield – Georgia Tech Summer Institute
⭐ Dani Wyttenbach – Georgia Tech Summer Institute
⭐ Kelseigh Williams – Georgia Tech Summer Institute
🐝 Georgia Tech Summer Institute
Dani Wyttenbach, Kelseigh Williams, and Jaiden Whitfield attended the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Summer Institute in Atlanta, where they explored areas including neuroscience, business, mathematics, design, and engineering while also getting a taste of college life.
Dani studied chemosensation, working with lab-raised roaches to investigate how they responded to different scents. “I got to experience what college life looks like—from staying in the dorms to traveling around campus. We experimented to see which scent the roaches would respond to best: a new essential oil or the cat food they were raised on.”
Kelseigh explored both neuroscience and business. “I met several new people and got an opportunity to experience what college life, particularly in a big city like Atlanta, is like. The experience helped me make up my mind about college and gave me networking opportunities I wouldn't have had otherwise.”
Jaiden especially enjoyed an engineering activity in which he built a simple electromagnetic machine. “My favorite part was getting to make something new and seeing it work. Overall, it was one of the best experiences I could have had—meeting new people and seeing a college I might want to attend.”
🌱 UGA Young Scholars Program – Tifton
Sean Parker and Kaitlyn Lott participated in the Young Scholars Program at the UGA-Tifton Campus, working alongside university researchers on agricultural research projects.
Sean worked with Dr. Juan Carlos Díaz-Pérez in post-harvest physiology, studying water loss in bell peppers and how changes to their stems affected that loss.
“Having this experience gave me a great view of what collegiate-level research looks like. I made connections with tons of people and met people who provided me opportunities to better myself academically and as a person.” — Sean
Kaitlyn worked with Dr. Taylor Singleton on sustainable agriculture, investigating fire ant populations in differently tilled cotton fields and how tillage methods affected the number of ants. Kaitlyn’s work earned her a top-three finish among participants at the Tifton campus!
“I enjoyed the agriculture aspect of my research project and that it also included entomology. I made relationships with people from all around Georgia, put myself out there, and had fun with the program.” — Kaitlyn
⚛️ Georgia Governor’s Honors Program – Physics
Roper Wheeler was selected for the prestigious Georgia Governor’s Honors Program in Physics, hosted by Georgia Southern University.
“While participating in the Governor’s Honors Program in physics this summer, I got to enjoy collaborating with and getting to know a community of passionate peers with diverse backgrounds. I explored topics such as quantum mechanics, general relativity, and kinematics, spending many hours with my friends working through problem sets.” — Roper
We are incredibly proud of these students for seeking opportunities to learn, conduct research, meet new people, and explore their futures in STEM. 💙💛
