Several PBS faculty, graduate students, and staff members of the developmental science program have been working with UMass Extension 4-H to deliver “STEAM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) hands-on educational and research participation activities on healthy behavior and brain development to Springfield youth. The work this year has been at the Chestnut Accelerated Middle School Talented and Gifted and in the Healthy Development Initiative lab at the UMass Center at Springfield, led by graduate students Sarah McCormick and Xingjie Chen, and staff members Lizmarie Lopez-Ortiz, Brynn Boutin and Erik Arnold. A pilot project is currently underway to expand and include more students. The work is supported, in part, by UMass CAFÉ field station support to Professors Youngbin Kwak and Kirby Deater-Deckard.

Brynn Boutin walks through an exercise with Chestnut T.A.G. students.

Erik Arnold briefs students on their cooperative activity.