USU, GSN Host 2026 STEM Summer Program

Students from DC-area communities present assistive tech for STEM Fair & Award Ceremony.

July 21, 2026 by Nile Randolph

One young Achiever responded, "I like to learn new things," when asked why conducting research was their favorite aspect of working on their summer endeavor.

This sums up the curiosity and enthusiasm of all 102 middle schoolers who traveled from across the DC metropolitan area. These students participated in the USU STEM Achievers Program hosted at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) with support from Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing (GSN) and Program Director Dr. James Maiden.

At this year's STEM Fair and Closing Award Ceremony, groups of students, known as "Achievers," presented solutions to this year's design challenge: "How can STEM be used to help those with physical impairments?" Achievers developed 3D designs, augmented realities, and virtual environments to showcase and demonstrate their innovative solutions. Together, Achievers, families, community members, university leadership, and supporters learned about the students' projects and celebrated their numerous achievements.

USU President Dr. Jonathan Woodson praised the achievers' creativity and imagination, saying, "STEM teaches you to think differently about things; that's valuable in whatever career you choose."

That ability to think differently was demonstrated in the variety of solutions the students developed, among them a prosthetic leg with sensors to prevent amputees from bumping into or stepping on things by accident, a wearable AI tool providing a voice to those unable to speak, and a wheelchair designed specifically to make it easier for those with leg paralysis to shower.

In addition to presenting their projects at the STEM Fair, the STEM Achievers also participated in a Shark Tank-like activity where they presented to a panel of USU and community leaders who served as mock "investors." This activity exposed the students to a side of STEM and research that can sometimes be taken for granted: entrepreneurship. In order to secure funding, scientists often have to prove what sets their ideas apart from others. Some students said they found this aspect of the program challenging, while others thoroughly enjoyed it. One Achiever said that their favorite part was answering the questions from the "investors" after her presentation.

At the Closing Award Ceremony, Darnell Armstrong, CEO of Dynamic Service Solutions (DSS), congratulated the students for challenging themselves and encouraged them to continue to take risks, saying, "Knowledge is stronger than fear, preparation is stronger than excuses, education is stronger than obstacles."

Thanks to a generous donation from DSS, 40 more achievers were allowed to participate in the program this year. This donation also has a personal connection: Armstrong's son was also a STEM achiever and is now an entrepreneur. During the closing ceremony, Armstrong said, "My hope is that years from now, another student will be able to say that this program changed the direction of their life, just as it did for my son."

What was perhaps just as inspiring as the intelligence and ingenuity of the STEM Achievers was their team spirit and gratitude. Awards were presented at the end of the ceremony to honor the students' accomplishments and dedication. The group awards included "Best Team in Coded Robotics" and the "Shark Tank Award." Individual recognitions included awards like "Most Positive" and "Most Helpful," fun superlatives like "Camp Comedian," and STEM awards like "Best Researcher In Design Thinking."

The loudest and longest cheers were for achievers' awards and accomplishments. They received a variety of medals, trophies, and fun STEM prizes to continue their love of learning at home.

However, the most appreciative cheers were for Maiden, Senior Program Coordinator Kali Holloway, and the STEM Achievers' mentors and instructors. They began as the staff trickled into the auditorium and barely stopped after they took their group photo and left. The ceremony made it abundantly clear that the STEM Achievers were just as impacted by staff members who care for the future of STEM as they had been by the pursuit of science itself.

In the end, Maiden left the young scholars with these words: "This summer wasn't just about building robots or writing code; it was about building our achievers' confidence, curiosity, and courage to improve the lives of others."