Young Scientist Academy

08/27/2026

Some big news out of YSA's Global STEM Ambassador program!

Genevieve Banks and Susan Gonzales, students at Roland Grise Middle School in New Hanover County and Rose Hill Magnolia Elementary School in Duplin County, respectively, recently served as peer reviewers on a scientific paper that has now been published in Frontiers for Young Minds. The paper explores organic chemistry, looking at how "pumpkin shaped" molecules can trap other molecules to speed up chemical reactions.

Frontiers for Young Minds is an award-winning, open-access scientific journal where articles written by professional scientists and researchers are reviewed by a board of young reviewers, aged 8 to 15, before publication. Genevieve and Susan reviewed this paper alongside three other young reviewers from around the world. Even Nobel Laureates have published in this journal. It gives kids a real seat in the peer-review process and a chance to sharpen their critical thinking and scientific literacy skills.

This marks the 13th publication out of 16 papers YSA students have reviewed over the past few years, with a paper from Gregory just accepted and awaiting its publication date.

Congratulations to Genevieve and Susan on this incredible achievement. We are so proud to see our students engaging directly with real scientific research and making their voices heard in the global scientific community.

Read the article and reviewer bios:

https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2026.1768077



Frontiers for Young Minds New Hanover County Schools The Endowment

08/25/2026

Our new cohort of Global STEM Ambassadors is off to a great start! At our orientation meeting this past weekend we got to meet each other, see all the different parts of the globe we were calling in from and discuss the topics we are most interested in researching.

With representatives across the Cape Fear Region 🇺🇸, urban and rural Moldova 🇲🇩, and Syria 🇸🇾, we truly are a Global cohort!

We are just getting started so be sure to follow along this year as our Ambassadors start their research and make an impact in their communities!

04/24/2026

It’s time to get those bids in! The Young Scientist Academy 3rd Annual Breakfast Fundraiser Silent Auction is officially OPEN, and you don’t have to be at the breakfast to win big.

Whether you're a nature lover, a foodie, or a wine connoisseur, we have something incredible waiting for you. Best of all? Anyone local to the Wilmington area can participate!

Auction Highlights Include:
🌿 Adventure: A guided nature tour of beautiful Bald Head Island.
🍷 Taste: Rare Moldovan Wine and local gift cards to your favorite spots (like Savorez!).
🍯 Sweet Treats: Plenty of local honey and other homegrown goodies...and so much more!

How to Join the Fun:
1. Click the link below to register!
2. Browse the amazing items donated by our community.
3.Place your bids and support our young scientists!

Every dollar raised goes directly toward empowering the next generation of innovators. Let the bidding wars begin! 🏆

Benefitting the Young Scientist Academy

04/17/2026

🚀🌍 BIG NEWS from Young Scientist Academy! 🌍🚀

We’re beyond excited (and honestly a little proud 😄) to share that a manuscript reviewed by FOUR of our YSA Explorer students in Moldova has officially been published in the award-winning journal Frontiers for Young Minds! 🧠📚

👏 For those who don’t know:
FYM articles are written by real scientists… but reviewed by young scientists (ages 8–15!) — meaning our students are actively contributing to real science. How cool is that?! 🔬✨

This milestone marks #12 out of 14 reviews completed by YSA students — with 2 more on the way! 🚀

💬 This experience isn’t just about science — it’s about building:
✔️ Critical thinking
✔️ Collaboration
✔️ Confidence to question and explore

💛 Special shoutout to Dobler Liliana for mentoring the students through the review process — truly showing that “everyone is a scientist.”

👏 And HUGE congratulations to our amazing reviewers:
Vladlena, Radu, Andreea, and Madalina — you’re inspiring the next generation already! 🌟

📖 Read the published article (and check out the student reviewer bios + avatars!):
👉 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2026.1647950

📸 Swipe through to see behind-the-scenes moments from our young scientists in action!

💥 If you believe in empowering young minds through science, hit ❤️, share, and follow us for more!

🔬✨

04/14/2026

Join us for the Young Scientist Academy’s 3rd Annual Breakfast on Saturday, April 25th at Waterline Brewing Co. This isn’t just a breakfast; it’s a showcase of curiosity and collaboration.

Why attend?
🔬Hear directly from students about their research on Martian agriculture, jellyfish lifecycles, and atmospheric data.
💻 Get hands-on with the tech our students use, from Raspberry Pi computers to weather balloons.
🌍 Chat with our international students in Moldova!

Here's the deets!
🗓 April 25 | 9:00-10:00 AM
📍 Waterline Brewing Co
🍳 Breakfast by Pine Valley Market

Tickets are only available through April 16th! Secure your spot today to support STEM education in our community by registing through the link in our bio!

04/04/2026

🔥 Hot week at YOUNG SCIENTIST ACADEMY Moldova!

Our Young STEM Explorers are in full action: plants are growing in Moon and Mars soil 🌱, microplastics projects are raising awareness about pollution 🌍, the pressure pump is off to a powerful start, and Sandu is diving into green energy with wind turbine discoveries 💨⚡

Real science. Real experiments. Real excitement.

Stay close—this is just getting started! 🚀

04/03/2026

Big news for curious minds and future innovators! 🔬✨

We’re proud to announce that the Young Scientist Academy is now officially registered in Moldova! 🇲🇩

Our mission? To bring science to life through hands-on learning, real experiments, and exciting discoveries that go beyond the classroom. We believe students learn best by doing, exploring, questioning, and creating—and we’re here to make that happen.

From interactive workshops to outdoor explorations and STEM projects, we’re opening doors for young learners to think like scientists and dream like innovators. 🚀

Join us on this exciting journey and stay tuned—this is just the beginning!