Kathryn Ayers, a senior at Parkway West High School, was a winner in the Honors Division of the Greater St. Louis Science Fair, held March 30-31, 2007. She was awarded for a research project conducted at the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, in which she examined regeneration of spinal cord axons following strokes in mice. Her research was performed in the laboratory of Dr. Mark Goldberg, Hope Center Director, under the mentorship of Christine LaPash, a doctoral student in neuroscience.

Kathryn is one of two Honors Division finalists selected to represent St. Louis at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, to be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, May 13–19, 2007.

The Greater St. Louis Science Fair is presented by the St. Louis Academy of Science and judged by local scientists. The Honors Division is for research studies that are of collegiate quality.

Kathryn has been a student researcher at the Hope Center for two years. She was also a finalist in the 2006 Science Fair. In addition to her accomplishments in science, she recently received the 2007 Outstanding Achievement in Citizenship Award from the Missouri Board of Education. Fifteen high school seniors from the state of Missouri were honored at a special awards luncheon at the Governor's Mansion in Jefferson City on March 23. Kathryn is also an active member of her school environment as a participant in National Honor Society, a member of the Executive Board of Student Government, and Varsity Captain of the Cheerleading squad. Kathryn will attend Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri in the fall as recipient of a Churchill Scholarship.