Building a Future Pipeline
The #GOALS evaluation reaches students across partner middle schools in Baltimore and Nashville, with over 140 students engaging in the Roblox platform.
Students don’t just gain knowledge; they develop a new way of seeing themselves and their future.
The program created a reinforcing cycle of growth:
- Believing college is possible
- Seeing a future in healthcare
- Building confidence
- Feeling purpose and pride
These changes didn’t happen in isolation; they worked together, strengthening one another and creating a lasting impact.
The results speak clearly:
- Increased interest in science
- Stronger healthcare career identity
- Greater confidence and self-belief
- Higher educational aspirations
#GOALS is not just inspiring students—it is building a diverse, confident, and future-ready pipeline of STEM and healthcare professionals.
2025 | Data Collection Across Cities
The 2025 #GOALS evaluation reached 331 students across 3 partner middle schools in Baltimore and Nashville, with over 300 survey responses and 147 students engaging in the Roblox platform.
- Baltimore (North Bend + St. Ignatius) – 153 students
- Nashville (Haynes Middle School) – 178 students
The majority of students were from underserved communities, ensuring meaningful impact where it matters most.
#GOALS in Baltimore
For many students in Baltimore, #GOALS was their first introduction to what a future in healthcare and STEM could look like.
Through immersive, hands-on experiences and mentorship, students stepped into roles they had never imagined for themselves. They didn’t just learn about science, they experienced it. They didn’t just hear about healthcare careers, they tried them on.
What made Baltimore powerful was the shift in mindset:
- Students who once felt unsure began to see new possibilities
- Many started to believe that “someone like me” belongs in healthcare
- Early confidence began to take root
This was the moment where curiosity turned into belief. Baltimore laid the foundation—helping students move from uncertainty to seeing a future that felt real and within reach.
From “I don’t know” to “maybe I can.”
These mindset shifts are reflected in the broader study outcomes:
- +20 point increase in students believing “someone like me” belongs in healthcare
- +24 point increase in students imagining themselves working in healthcare roles
- +13 point increase in confidence to succeed in a healthcare career
We also saw strong growth in key areas:
- Healthcare identity (+0.33 effect size)
- Confidence and aspirations (+0.31)
Overall, Baltimore reflects the same pattern seen across the program:
A foundation for how exposure and mentorship can reshape student identity and aspirations
Early shifts in mindset—from “maybe not me” to “this could be me”
Growing belief in belonging and future possibility
#GOALS in Nashville
Where Growth Becomes Measurable.
In Nashville, the program expanded and so did the impact.
With a larger group of students, #GOALS was able to capture not just stories, but measurable change. What started as curiosity evolved into confidence, identity, and aspiration.
Students didn’t just participate—they transformed:
- Interest in science increased significantly, becoming the strongest area of growth
- Students began to see themselves in healthcare roles with greater clarity
- Confidence grew—not just in learning, but in their ability to succeed
- Educational aspirations strengthened, with more students believing college was within reach
One of the most powerful findings was where the biggest change happened among students who were “on the fence.” These students made the largest leaps, moving from uncertainty to strong belief in their future.
From “maybe” to “yes, I can.”
In Nashville, the program demonstrated clear, data-driven outcomes:
- Science interest increased the most (+0.52 effect size)
- Healthcare identity improved (+0.33)
- Confidence and aspirations increased (+0.31)
Key shifts included:
- +24 point increase in students imagining working in healthcare
- +20 point increase in believing “someone like me” belongs in healthcare
- +13 point increase in confidence to succeed in healthcare roles
Nashville validated that the program doesn’t just inspire—it measurably transforms student beliefs.
Internal Design & Measurement Innovation
The Lucy Family Institute led the design of a multi-method evaluation system that combined
(1) paper surveys administered before and after the event, (2) live clickers to capture real-time responses during the experience, and (3) a Roblox game that generated interactive and behavioral data.
By combining all three, the team ensured:
- A scalable model for future expansion
- Strong validation across methods
- More accurate and reliable insights
From Data to Impact
The findings reveal powerful results:
- Students improved in multiple areas
- Students developed and reinforced a system of beliefs
- College feels possible → Healthcare career feels real → Confidence grows → Purpose strengthens
This interconnected growth shows how #GOALS build not just interest—but identity, confidence, and long-term aspiration.
Next Steps
- Expand to more schools and cities
- Use game-based data for personalized learning experiences
- Track long-term student trajectories
- Scale impact without losing measurement quality
Publications
ICEIT 2026 Publication
GOALS for Science: Validating a Gamified Approach to Data Collection on Roblox (20th International Conference on Educational and Instructional Technology | August 17–18, 2026, Tokyo, Japan)
This study demonstrates that a Roblox-based game can reliably collect research data from middle school students, producing results comparable to traditional surveys. The findings highlight the potential of gamified platforms to support large-scale, credible educational research while meaningfully engaging students in science.
ASEE Conference 2026 Publication
ASEE Conference, Charlotte | June 21–24, 2026
Inspiring Future STEM Professionals: Evaluating the Impact of the #GOALS Live Experience on Middle School Students’ Career Interest
Middle school is a critical stage when students begin shaping their academic identities and career aspirations, yet many lack early exposure to STEM pathways. The #GOALS program addresses this gap by providing hands-on, immersive healthcare experiences to students from underserved communities. Our evaluation shows that participation significantly increases students’ interest in healthcare careers and confidence in their STEM abilities. These findings highlight the power of early, experiential learning to strengthen motivation and build a more diverse future healthcare workforce.
Full Paper will be available soon.
ASEE Conference 2025 Publication
Fostering STEM Engagement: Evaluating the Impact of the #GOALS Program on Middle-School Students’ Interest and Motivation in Science and Technology
This study explores how the #GOALS program influences middle school students’ interest, motivation, and engagement in STEM fields.
View Full Paper