Castaic’s First Annual Research in Focus Symposium Sets Stage for a Bright Future
On October 25, 2025, students in Castaic High School led their first annual Research in Focus Symposium, providing Castaic and Valencia High School students with an opportunity to present their findings regarding different types of cancer. While normally held during the summer, the program has taken a twist, holding its first annual trifold contest in the Castaic Library.
The Research in Focus program was created by one of Castaic’s teachers, Kate Song, who described the program as giving students a “stage where they could present their findings and also be judged [on their discoveries] regarding cancer treatments, literature, and data.”
For the last three summers, the Research in Focus program has gone to the University of California, Los Angeles, in order to present their findings after a summer-long research experience.
Presenters in the symposium were divided into Groups A and B. Students in Group A were returning members from the summer program, acting as a model for Group B students who were not previously in it.
All eleven groups that were part of the symposium were given five minutes to present their trifolds to a group of judges, other competitors, students, and family members.
Song explained the process of choosing judges, saying that their goal was to get “people from the community,” with the judges ultimately consisting of “two doctors from Kaiser, one pharmacist, two teachers, and Miss Cermeno, who works in the counseling office.”
In each group, the judges would pick the top three presentations, along with an honorable mention, to give awards to. One of Group B’s first-place winners, sophomore Ailanie Mandia, values her time researching, saying that it helped her “realize the importance of awareness and screening [for cancer], and how research can be used to educate, inspire, and potentially save lives.”
Aside from the impressive presentations given by each of the students, the symposium had more to offer, including guest speaker Houman Fekrazad, an oncologist at Kaiser.
Fekrazad talked to students about his career path to becoming an oncologist, along with novel treatments coming to assist in treating cancer patients.
Song recalls one of the most touching moments being when Fekrazad talked about “a specific interaction he had with a patient and how they thought there was no hope for her, until they put her on a clinical trial, benefiting her… [it goes to show] the importance of looking at research.”
The program also allowed the opportunity to give back to the community, with the introduction of fundraisers to raise money and support towards Leukemia research. The symposium also gave attendees the chance to make cards for childhood cancer patients.
With the first symposium being a huge success for the Research in Focus program, Song hopes to gain more attraction for their second symposium, with hopes for it to occur in April.
Song expressed that it’s her “dream to see that true, genuine interest and passion and appreciation for research at such a young age. It’s another thing to see students want to share that wealth and knowledge with freshmen and new members.”
With the program continuing to flourish, Song encourages students to join the Research in Focus club, meeting in room 264 on Fridays, to help the program further grow its impact on the community.
