Introducing young people to the work of scientists and encouraging them to pursue STEM-related careers is an important aspect of a new research-based science curriculum for middle school called Health in Our Hands: How can looking for thrills make me miserable? The unit, which explores the biology of addiction, starts with a video with teens’ testimonials about addiction to vaping. Students investigate the brain’s reward system from an evolutionary perspective, and examine its role in addictive behavior.

Many people think that young people can't conduct meaningful research and help solve problems in their community. Sixth grade students from Mrs. Savoie’s class at Freeman Elementary School were invited to present results of their community action research project, "How can healthy smoothies attract consumers?" at the 2019 Healthy Flint Research Coordinating Center (HFRCC) Annual Symposium on March 15, 2019. Their presentation gave visibility to their research and the wonderful work that Flint students are doing in their science classes.