Reach Out to Youth urges West Michigan youngsters to Flex Their Superpower
February 26, 2025
The Secchia Center came alive with the sounds of excited children on Saturday, Feb. 22. Michigan State University College of Human Medicine hosted the Reach Out to Youth program for more than 80 children aged 7-11 in the Grand Rapids area.
The 11th annual student-run program featured hands-on activities designed to get children interested in careers in the medical field and inspired kids to “flex their superpowers.”
“There was lots of energy coming through here. We were flexing our superpowers – showing these kids how their superpowers can be medicine and science,” said second-year medical student, Tyrese Lillard.
It wasn't a typical Saturday morning for the children who spent more than four hours rotating through stations meant to spark conversation about science. The medical students led hands-on activities including listening to a patient’s heartbeat, dissecting tendons to learn how they worked, using electricity to activate muscles, and stretching to maintain healthy muscles and improve flexibility.
Parents also took part in several sessions that day. Lillard hopes parents and kids are able to go home and talk about it together.
“It’s just going to build the interest that those kids have in science,” he said.
A special appearance by Sparty brought parents, kids and the medical students out on the dance floor to move their muscles before the day ended.
Reach Out To Youth is a long-standing partnership with Michigan State University College of Human Medicine’s Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and co-founders Carolyn King, MD, and Don Tynes, MD.
“These students have spent months organizing this event,” said King. “Seeing the smiles on the children’s faces and knowing this experience could spark their interest in STEM and STEAM careers—science, technology, engineering, medicine, and math—is truly incredible for their futures.”
The day of service was personal for Lillard, who was inspired to pay it back to the people who helped him get to where he is now.
“When I was a kid, I didn’t see someone that looked like me. I didn’t see a Black doctor, Hispanic, Latino, the different colors. Now these kids can see it, they know they can be it, they believe they can be it,” said Lillard.
“They’re no longer only aspiring to be just an athlete. That’s what I wanted to be when I was a kid…now they have examples in front of their faces of all the different options, all the different things that are so cool that they can fall in love with.”
The program has served more than 435 students and more than 210 parents since it came to Grand Rapids more than a decade ago.
By Emily Linnert
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Second-year student Angel G. A. Prempeh appeared on WOOD TV's eightWest program to talk about Reach Out To Youth and how the program helps kids explore careers in medicine.