Brainy Idea To Help High School Kids Lands UM $1.3 Million Grant

A significant grant is fueling an exciting new program that connects local teens with research on mental wellness. This could change the conversation in our community.

THE CHANGING BRAIN

UM News Service tells us that the University of Montana’s Living Lab and spectrUM Discovery Area recently received a $1.3 million National Institutes of Health grant to connect area high school students to UM faculty around the theme of “The Changing Brain.”

Alex Sobin (pictured above right), director of the spectrUM Discovery Area, was quoted in the press release as saying, “By engaging in professional development alongside local researchers, students will realize their leadership potential, learn what a career in research entails, and form professional connections that will open doors to their future."

Montana consistently ranks among the highest in the nation for suicide. The Changing Brain Initiative strives to empower students through education and knowledge, pairing them with faculty who study this public health crisis with the goal of increasing awareness and developing strategies to improve mental health outcomes across the state.

HIGH SCHOOL EXPLAINER PROGRAM

Halle Townes (pictured above left) brings more than a decade of experience working with learners across a wide range of ages and educational settings. She will head the program, with an emphasis on "providing career development pathways for high schoolers in Montana that can lead to enriching educational opportunities at UM.” 

The High School Explainer Program represents UM’s commitment to partnering with place, providing education and outreach to schools in Missoula and on the Flathead Reservation, recognizing the mental health crisis faced by our K-12 students and their parents, giving them opportunities to act as helpers as they look toward their futures.

BOOT CAMP

The program kicks off in June when the first High School Explainers will experience nine weeks of intensive education. This “boot camp” will prepare them to lead activities in K-8 classrooms, teaching the next generation about the decisions we make that affect our brains, our anatomy and our health – both physical and mental.

Applications are now open for these paid positions on the Flathead Reservation and in Missoula. For more details on applications and this fascinating program, visit here.