Research to Empower x Syosset Public Library: Sparking Curiosity in the Next Generation

What happens when you put a group of 10–15 year olds in a room and ask them to think like researchers? You get laughter, debates, surprising questions—and yes, even a few “mind blown” moments.

During our Research to Empower workshop on Aug 23, students took on challenges like spotting fake news, debating in 4 Corners, and even diving into the famous Stanford Prison Experiment. Their reactions say it all:

“A 5 star most fun ever!” – Harley 

“I enjoyed this workshop, it helped me think hard on questions and how little I know and how much more I would like to learn.” – Miles

“When Grace and her sister share their experiences…I was interested about what they researched about.” – Samantha

“This class was really cool!” – Arthur

Workshops like this remind me why I started Research to Empower: because young people are natural innovators when you give them the space to explore big questions.

A huge thank you to Sue Ann Reale, Head of Children’s Services at Syosset Public Library, for helping bring this vision to life.  Your support turned this workshop into a space where students didn’t just learn—they discovered what it means to think like scientists and storytellers.

Walking out of the library that day, I couldn’t stop smiling. These students reminded me that research isn’t just about data or experiments—it’s about the joy of asking “why?” and daring to find the answers. And that joy? It’s contagious.