– by Alexandra Valladares, Fanny D’Azzi, and The Learning Quest
In the heart of Durham, North Carolina, a young learner named Danna Cárdenas is rewriting what it means to belong, persist, and flourish in science. Her journey through the BOOST Science Program at Duke University is a powerful example of how inclusive STEM education can transform lives, especially for students navigating the dual challenges of a new language and country.
Danna, a student at Durham Public Schools’ School for Creative Studies, first encountered BOOST—Building Opportunities and Overtures in Science and Technology—as an English as a Second Language (ESL) student at Holt Elementary School. At the time, the language barrier was significant, and the leap into a hands-on STEM program felt daunting. But BOOST met her with what she needed most: belief, mentorship, and a culturally responsive learning environment. With the support of a dedicated coach who translated lessons and activities into Spanish, Danna began to thrive.
The BOOST program, designed to build confidence and competence in science for middle school students from Durham Public Schools, immerses scholars in months of research, experimentation, and mentorship with Duke University, North Carolina Central, and UNC-Chapel Hill, Durham Technical Community College, and other University students. It culminates in the annual BOOST Science Symposium, where learners showcase their projects and share their discoveries.
This year’s 15th annual symposium, held in the Great Hall of Duke’s School of Medicine, featured 19 squads of eager young scientists. Among them stood Danna—no longer a newcomer, uncertain about her place, but a confident presenter, sharing her research on volcanoes. Her project was more than a scientific exploration; it was a tribute to her Ecuadorian roots, to the Cotopaxi and Guagua Pichincha volcanoes that watched over her childhood in Quito. For Danna, science became a bridge between her past and her future.
“Volcanoes symbolise the heart of the Earth,” she shared with poise and pride, speaking in fluent English to a room full of BOOST program members, their families, and PhDs. Her presentation was not only scientifically rich but deeply personal, connecting geology to identity and data to dreams.
Throughout BOOST, Danna engaged enthusiastically in every activity, from robotics and dragster design to hypothesis testing and data analysis. Her growth was visible not only in her command of English but in her bold curiosity and evolving scientific thinking. She asked questions, overcame setbacks, and collaborated with teammates, exemplifying the program’s mission to inspire the next generation of changemakers in medicine and science.
Her journey is also captured in a poem titled Peregrinaje de un Corazón (Pilgrimage of a Heart), which we post below this article. It weaves together her experiences of migration, memory, and resilience. “Representing the erupting volcano,” she writes, “was a way to honour my origins and the faith that helps me walk in this new home.”
BOOST is more than a program—it’s a pathway. It supports all Durham Public Schools students by giving them the tools, community, and confidence to dream big in STEM. Danna’s story illustrates what’s possible when access meets support, and when science is taught not just as a subject, but as a language of empowerment.
As Danna continues her journey—her peregrinaje—she carries with her the spirit of inquiry, the joy of discovery, and a heart tuned to the rhythms of both science and story. And through her, BOOST continues to shine as a beacon for equity, excellence, and the boundless potential of young learners.
Her poem
*Peregrinaje de un Corazón
Hace un año, comencé mi aventura,
En Boost, un escenario creativo y abierto,
Donde cada mes, me invitaba a soñar,
Y cultivar en tierra suave, lo que puedo llegar a ser.
Soy Danna Cárdenas, arte y música,
Senderos y bosques de mil colores,
Soy slime y experimentos, cultura y ciencia,
Tecnología y construcción, junto a mi familia y amigos.
Mi origen está en Quito, “la carita de Dios”,
Ciudad roja y azul, bordeada por volcanes majestuosos,
Cotopaxi y Guagua Pichincha, testigos de mi infancia,
Donde el amor y la siembra, se entrelazan en mi alma.
Dos fuerzas vivas, como la lava ardiente,
Fluyen dentro de mí, recuerdos y sueños,
El amor que me tejió, y la emoción que me empuja,
A soñar con un futuro mejor, con la vida a salvo.
Representar el volcán en erupción,
Fue demostrar el amor por mis orígenes,
Y la fe que me ayuda, a caminar en este nuevo hogar,
Donde mi corazón, como el de un colibrí, palpita sin cesar.
Si el origen y el destino, están en migrar,
Mi corazón seguirá su peregrinaje,
Recorriendo la madre tierra, con amor y pasión,
Y encontrando mi lugar en este mundo en constante evolución.
