ISHD Student Nathan Castillo Wins Summer Photo Contest

September 10, 2013 - We are pleased to announce the Grand Prize Winner of the the inaugural Penn GSE Summer Photo Contest: Nathan M. Castillo, a second year Ph.D. student in our Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Development (ISHD) program. Castillo is also the monthly winner for August.

This summer, Castillo traveled to the Seshego district of Limpopo, South Africa on the Dean's Summer Research Grant to conduct a pilot study of an early grade reading assessment. He snapped the winning shot, titled Ready to learn, while primary school children of Greenside Elementary waited their turn to participate in the morning's literacy activities. 

According to Castillo, his research addresses the complexities of early literacy in multiple languages. Working with advisor and International Educational Development Program Director Dan Wagner, his study is part of the Bridges to the Future Initiative, an All Children Reading project administered by the South African organization Molteno Institute for Language and Literacy. Castillo received additional support for his trip from the IEDP Doctoral Concentration. 

As the Grand Prize Winner, Castillo will receive an iPad mini, a framed print of his photo, and a Penn GSE t-shirt. Castillo's photo will also be featured in Penn GSE's main building at 3700 Walnut Street in Philadelphia along with the monthly winners for June and July.

IEDP student Xinyi Zhou's photo from her summer internship, which shows a woman from West Delhi, India conducting household surveys, was the monthly winner for June, and GSE-TFA student Miranda Schaeffer's photo of a South Philadelphia pre-k student freestyle dancing was selected for July.   

To see all submissions to the Summer Photo Contest, click here.