In our Summer 2025 Kids Edition, we sat down with three young STEM leaders redefining what "the next generation" actually looks like: Sean "the Science Kid" Atitsogbe, cybersecurity researcher Bandana Kaur, and toy designer Ava "The S.T.E.M. Princess" Simmons.

Sean, who coined the term "neurocardio surgeon" for his dream career combining neurology and cardiology, became a member of American Mensa at just four years old. "Kids look up to me because I make learning fun and easy," he tells STEM Crew. His advice for changing how science gets taught? "Let them roll the cars down the ramp first, then explain the concepts. Learning is discovery, not just memorization."

At 17, Bandana Kaur is already a Security Research Engineer specializing in API vulnerabilities and AI red-teaming, and the founder of HackWitHer. She started coding at 13 after being cyberbullied, and hasn't slowed down since. "Being a girl is my superpower," she says. "Femininity and intelligence don't just coexist. They amplify each other." On why the work matters beyond the technical: "Cybersecurity isn't just a technical challenge. It's a human rights issue."

And 12-year-old Ava N. Simmons, diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia in 2021, turned that challenge into Team Genius Squad, her educational toy brand now partnered with Whole Foods, Scholastic, and Boys & Girls Club. "I want kids to feel like learning is fun, not something they're forced to do," she says. Her message to other kids facing their own challenges: "Never let your challenges define your success. Keep pushing, keep dreaming, and never give up."