Olivia Catarello
Class of 2028Chicago, IL
About
Hi! I am a sophomore in high school at Lane Tech College Prep. I just finished conducting a research project on OCD that culminated with my self-published podcast about OCD awareness. Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, “Tell Me What OCD Is *Really* Like” consists of unique discussions with a different guest each episode. The guests share their personal experiences with OCD in order to enlighten listeners about the disorder. I was motivated to create my podcast because my sister has severe OCD and really struggles with her classmates' attitudes towards her disorder. Most people don't even try to understand her, but I want to change that. As a society, we can all be a little kinder to make everyone's lives a little easier. My sister’s experience sparked my interest in the psychology field for my career, but I don't want to have to wait to start learning. Your teenage years are the best time to explore what you're curious about, so I decided to conduct my own research. And now here I am!Projects
- "How does OCD affect individuals and how can awareness on this disorder be spread?" with mentor Oluwaseyi (June 5, 2026)
Project Portfolio
How does OCD affect individuals and how can awareness on this disorder be spread?
Started Dec. 16, 2025
Abstract or project description
I am curious about how neurodivergence impacts learning and the overall development in individuals. In my research project, I want to focus on gaining a deeper understanding of mental health disorders, specifically OCD. Through interviews with people with OCD, I will explore how OCD challenges the lives of those affected and how the disorder can look so different depending on the person. The aim of my project is to spread awareness of OCD and how inaccurate the public perception of it is. My project will culminate with a podcast compiling my interviews with people with OCD in order to broaden the knowledge of anyone who listens. I believe that society in general should be understanding of and patient with everyone—with or without mental health disorders—because everyone's brains work much differently. We can all be a little kinder to make everyone’s lives a little easier.