Become a Community-based, Action-oriented Researcher

Who are we looking for? You don’t need to be a tech expert, or to have strong views about AI. You do need to:

• Demonstrate care for your community, critical thinking skills, and leadership qualities
• Civic engagement should spark something inside you
• Your application should reflect your thoughtfulness, life experiences, and why you want to participate (hint: ditch AI for these writing assignments, except for spellcheck, and keep an eye on the 200 word minimums)

Eligibility Criteria:

• Must be enrolled in a Baltimore City public high school for SY26-27, as a sophomore, junior, or senior
• To participate, student must be eligible to work in the U.S.
  
• All students will be expected to follow JHU flu vaccination guidelines for on-campus placements.

• YPAR students will need access to a computer. If a student does not have a computer JHU will provide a laptop for the duration of the program.
• This program requires in-person attendance. During the field research weeks, students are allowed to connect with mentors on research progress remotely. During these remote meetings, students must have access to stable wi-fi.

• YPAR students must be available three hours each day, typically from 3:30-6:30pm, on Mondays and Wednesday. Students will meet at the Center for Educational Outreach (2701 N. Charles Street, 6th floor). Any exceptions must be requested early.
• This Fall program runs from September 21, 2026 to January 15, 2027.
• During data collection phases, subgroups will be formed to support each other in data collection with students’ identified communities. Students will attend regular meeting times for project updates and coaching with mentors.

• If selected, YPAR students must provide their own transportation to and from JHU’s campus.
• Free JHU shuttles are available for interns’ use, as applicable, to get to CEO offices.
• If you have questions or concerns about transportation, contact STEMOutreach@jhu.edu for guidance. Requests for transportation support may be considered.

Dr. Alexis Daniels is the Assistant Director of Research & Evaluation at the Center for Educational Outreach. Her research interests include STEM equity, career development, school-university partnerships, and AI literacy. She’s taught science (through cooking!) to 4-8th graders, co-founded an urban farm, developed student-centered K-12 STEAM curricula, led educational programs for a decade (including the WISE program), published and presented at conferences internationally. She earned her EdD from Johns Hopkins School of Education in 2025.

Katy Mullins is a doctoral student at the Johns Hopkins School of Education. Her research interests focus on media literacy, teacher preparation and development, AI literacy, and how technological developments can be used to support teachers in improving outcomes for special education students. Prior to pursuing her PhD Katy served for two years as an AmeriCorps member in Tulsa, Oklahoma, then became the founding English Teacher for KIPP Tulsa University Prep High School where she taught 9th grade English. She holds a BA in English from the University of Pittsburgh, a MEd in Education Policy and Leadership from American University, and an MFA in Creative Writing from George Mason University.

YPAR develops civic engagement, preparing youth to be active members in their communities and to understand themselves and the world around them at greater depth. YPAR “offers a vehicle to meet a pair of complementary needs: good data for decision-making and positive youth development” (Newman and Sipes, 2022, p. 2).

The YPAR research process often includes:

1. Defining the problem
2. Selecting the research design and methods
3. Collecting the data
4. Analyzing and interpreting data
5. Developing findings and recommendations
6. Presenting findings and recommendations to stakeholders

YPAR promotes youth civic engagement through development of collaboration and communications skills while building critical consciousness (Gardner Center at Standford, 2024). Critical consciousness involves the ability to recognize and analyze systems of inequality, along with commitment to take action against these systems (El-Amin et al., 2017). These includes analyzing cultural, political, and economic forces shaping AI adoption, with in light of YPAR students’ expertise as both stakeholders and researchers.

All of the following components must be completed by the applicable submission deadline: 

• Application Form, including Short Essay questions (which must meet the minimum 200-word count), submitted here
• Teacher or guidance counselor recommendation, submitted here
• Transcript (latest report card), emailed by high school staff to STEMoutreach@jhu.edu
• (Optional: Submit a supplementary resume, if you have any work experience)

The application deadline is: 

• For Fall 2026 – apply by June 14, 2026 (11:59 p.m.)