Conduct literature reviews and make community impact!

In the 2024 Summer Program, scholar Rohan Badgandi compiled a literature review on effective ways to overcome stress-related immigration. He then used his findings to create posters on mitigating acculturative stress in 8 different languages (this was a team effort!) Rohan and other leaders put his posters up in local libraries all around King and Snohomish counties depending on demographic concentration.

Kushi Setty '24 explored anorexia nervosa along with her mentor Justyna S., culminating in a literature review that she plans to submit to a peer-reviewed journal.

Develop an initiative for your community!

Liba Mutjaba '24 developed a food drive to combat food insecurity among homeless women. Along with an informational poster, she was able to successfully collect 40+ meals and donated to the Sofia Way. She is planning to extend her project and donate to the Snohomish Community Foundation later this year.

Nuani Santiago '24 focused on exploring how students in her community view eating disorders and self-image. She also addressed the cultural stereotypes that lead to stigmatization in her own demographics. She’s planning to bring her initiative to local schools through workshops aimed at promoting awareness and mental health education.

Conduct research at the University of Washington!

First-generation students of color often don't have the established connections, resources, or networks to explore research in wet-labs. NeuroYouth believes that in order to increase diversity and representation in the science fields, we need more opportunities for FGLI and BIPOC students to discover the potential they have within these fields while still young. Thus, we have partnered with the Dr. Moreno Lab at the University of Washington! In the 2024 Summer Program, scholar Sofia Raistakka was able to intern at this lab! She learned about the relationship of heart health and brain health!

Develop educational resources, curriculum, and videos about brain health!

Minh Nguyen '24 conducted research on the effects of sleep deprivation on high school students, focusing on the gap in existing studies that fail to present the consequences in accessible terms for young audiences. She is developing an educational video that highlights the mental health impacts of poor sleep habits, which she plans to distribute to local schools.

Regina Villasante '24 blended her love for music with her research on personalized music therapy, investigating its use as a mental health intervention for young people dealing with anxiety and depression. She did this by conducting a survey with music samples and recorded participant reactions. She is hoping to continue exploring this research throughout college and provide music resources for youth.