Engaging Rural Communities in Mexico: Educating Youth and Their Families during a Pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic became widespread in early 2020, people around the world felt scared, confused, and at a loss for how to help their fellow humans. Suddenly, young and old alike needed to understand the science of virology and how to protect themselves and others, while the world's scientific understanding of the specific COVID-19 virus continued to evolve. In response to this critical need, the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) collaborated with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) to create a community research guide called "COVID-19! How Can I Protect Myself and Others?," which focused on the protective behaviors necessary to ensure public health. To disseminate this module, the SSEC leveraged a network of partners from around the world who shared the goal of providing high-quality science and STEM education to young people. One key partner was Innovation for Science Education (INNOVEC) based in Mexico. Through the Smithsonian's timely content and the innovative efforts of INNOVEC and others to reach young learners around the globe, "COVID-19! How Can I Protect Myself and Others?" has supported more than 2 million young people in 36 countries to discover, understand, and act in order to protect themselves and others.