Turning ‘Maybe I Can’ into ‘I Will’ in Healthcare and STEM.
Our Vision
To empower middle school students to see what’s possible, believe in their potential, and pursue meaningful futures in healthcare and STEM—turning curiosity into confidence, and possibility into purpose.
#GOALS inspires middle-school students to Go Out And Love Science, guiding them towards healthcare careers through the following:
- Schools’ Pre and Post Event Surveys
- Measures changes in students’ interest, confidence, and motivation before and after the program
- #GOALS Live Event
- A one-day experiential program with hands-on medical simulations, interactive STEM activities, and mentorship from healthcare professionals
- GOALS game on the Roblox Platform -Educational and Data Collection
- An interactive, game-based platform where students explore healthcare careers while also providing data on engagement, interest, and self-efficacy
- School Engagement
- Collaboration with schools and local partners to support participation and ensure access for students from underserved communities
Program Overview
The #GOALS (Go Out and Love Science) program, an initiative of the Ascension Foundation, is designed to inspire middle school students, especially those from underserved communities, to explore careers in healthcare and STEM. At a critical stage when students begin shaping their academic interests and career aspirations, #GOALS provides an immersive, one-day experience that brings these possibilities to life.
Through hands-on healthcare training, interactive STEM activities, and direct engagement with healthcare professionals, students gain exposure to real-world medical careers. This experience is intentionally designed to build confidence, spark curiosity, and increase awareness of pathways into
healthcare and STEM fields.
Research shows that participation in #GOALS leads to increased motivation, stronger self-confidence, and greater interest in healthcare careers. Students share their perspectives before, during, and after the experience, helping to measure growth and impact.
Why #GOALS?
- Hands-on learning
- Mentorship
- Data to track growth
- Innovative technology
To enhance both engagement and evaluation, the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society developed a custom #GOALS game on the Roblox platform. Recognizing the need for more interactive and authentic ways to capture student experiences, the team designed the game as an extension of the live event, allowing students to explore healthcare careers through simulated medical tasks and guided scenarios. Unlike traditional surveys, key questions about students’ interests, confidence, and career aspirations are embedded directly into gameplay. This approach created a more engaging, low-pressure environment where students could respond more naturally while interacting with the content.
Results & Impact
In 2025, the evaluation incorporated both paper-based surveys and the game-based tool to assess the impact of the #GOALS live event. Findings demonstrated that the game-based approach captured greater and more consistent changes in student motivation, confidence, and interest in healthcare careers.
Building on this validation, the Lucy Family Institute is expanding the use of the Roblox-based platform as a primary tool for data collection before, and after the #GOALS experience, demonstrating how innovative, student-centered technology can enhance both learning and research.
