St. Jude STEMM ambassadors help kindergarten ‘scientists’ understand infectious diseases

In classrooms everywhere, students gather sharing their school environment — the books, supplies and educational toys that help them learn — but also sharing the sniffles, sneezes and coughs that are typical among young children. A group of scientists from St. Jude is helping students in the Memphis area learn about infectious diseases through the Kindergarten Infectious Diseases and Wellness Collaborative, a partnership between Memphis-area schools and the St. Jude STEMM Education & Outreach Program.

At the start of the year, the curriculum focuses on community, helping children understand who they are and how they can keep one another safe. That foundation naturally transitions to lessons about infectious diseases and how germs and bacteria can make you sick. The students participate in activities such as swabbing common areas in the classroom, including tables, doorknobs or even their favorite toys, then spreading the samples on agar plates. After observing the initial growth, students clean the surfaces and swab them again, allowing them to see how effective cleaning can be and how many bacteria remain afterward.

“Learning about the spread of germs is an important concept for young learners who share everything but can’t see what they might be passing around,” explained Hailey Wolfe, co-creator of the curriculum, St. Jude STEMM Education & Outreach Program.

As they observe bacterial colonies before and after cleaning the surfaces, the abstract idea of “germs” becomes tangible, prompting discussions about hygiene, health and how students can keep themselves and their classmates safe.

If they can see it, they can be it

The curriculum comes alive when STEMM Ambassadors visit classrooms to guide students through the activities. STEMM Ambassadors are St. Jude scientists, researchers and other professionals who facilitate the activity and share their career journeys. They explain what they do, how they got into their field and what a day in their job looks like.

“The STEMM ambassadors give students a glimpse into the biomedical workforce and show them that they could be part of it one day,” said Wolfe. “This year, we have nine ambassadors visiting classrooms in Memphis-area schools.”

For many students, it is the first time seeing a real-life scientist in action, and it gives them an example of a career they might not have known about. The visits help students connect what they are learning in school to real-world applications.  

“I hope this experience gets the students excited about learning,” said STEMM ambassador Jenn Willard, Department of Pathology. “My goal is for them to understand that science has many diverse career paths and that they can be whatever they want to be.”

Willard is a medical laboratory scientist and senior quality specialist with a passion for teaching. In addition to her primary work, she oversees clinical rotations for students who come to St. Jude from local universities. Her passion for teaching and mentoring makes her an ideal STEMM ambassador, inspiring and supporting the next generation of scientists.

“I think it’s crucial for young children to see real people in real careers,” Wolfe emphasized. “If they can see it, they can be it. Representation matters, and those kids need to see what’s possible for them.”

Building a STEMM curriculum for every grade

The Kindergarten Infectious Diseases and Wellness Collaborative team’s work is grounded in creating classroom learning modules that collectively serve as a curriculum to introduce students to science, using hands-on exploration, lessons on health, nutrition and everyday phenomena, and activities that build reading, math and social-emotional skills.

The teacher-led curriculum aligns with Tennessee state education standards and comes fully prepared with lesson plans, presentations and supplies. This year, the curriculum is being implemented in 49 classrooms across 13 schools in the Memphis area, reaching over 1,000 students.

“Our goal is to support teachers in how they teach while helping them adapt and strengthen their practice,” said Krisderlawn Motley, MAT, manager of the STEMM Program’s Early Pathways K-8 Team.

The program is continuing to evolve, with the team currently developing a first-grade curriculum that builds on the concept of infectious diseases, allowing students to explore both harmful and beneficial microorganisms. The students will expand their learning to include beneficial bacteria in the stomach, grow yogurt and connect these lessons to healthy habits, such as eating fiber-rich foods that support beneficial bacteria.

“Our ultimate goal is to build a STEMM curriculum for every grade,” said Wolfe. “That’s been our mission from the start, and it’s what we’ve been charged with achieving.”

When students are encouraged to explore the everyday spaces where they learn and play, classrooms transform into laboratories filled with questions waiting to be answered. Through this programming, students in schools across Memphis are discovering this firsthand as they explore the world around them, using scientific concepts to investigate their learning environment.