We were able to sit down with Mahie P. (11G) to get more insights about this project.
What is the official name of the club, and what is your primary mission?
Name: Project Vermilion
Primary Mission: Neurodiversity is not just a clinical label. It is the spectrum of human thought, creativity, and perception. It represents minds that see patterns others miss, feel emotions more deeply, and process the world through a unique lens. To honor neurodiversity is to recognize that these differences are not deficits, but powerful variations of human potential. What neurodivergent individuals need is not correction, but compassion. Neuroinclusion begins when we stop justifying marginalization with cognitive differences and start building a world that welcomes every kind of brain. We hope that, by promoting compassion and explaining the underlying neurology behind these conditions, we can help build a neuroinclusive community.
How many members do you have, and what is the typical “vibe” of a meeting?
Members & Meeting: Project Vermilion is split into four domains: Challenge Vermilion (initiatives), Campaign Vermilion (fundraising), Competition Vermilion (research), and Classroom Vermilion (education). Our founding team (5 members) is composed of ISEF finalists, I am the founder and the other four each control a domain, with monthly meetings to track progress and growth of the project. Under each domain we have 5-40 members.
What specific branches of science do you focus on (e.g., Biology, Robotics, Environmental Science)?
Branches: Psychology, Psychiatry, Neurology, Data Science, Statistics, Scientific Inquiry
What is the most ambitious project the club has tackled this year?
Ambitious Project: Sensory Toy Drive & Cleanup: Project Vermilion is collecting sensory toys nationwide for donation to help children manage anxiety and stress. Fidget spinners, Fidget rings, and Pop It toys gained immense popularity from 2017 to 2022, and now many teenagers have these sensory toys stashed away, gathering dust in their closets. We would like to collect them, clean them, and donate them to help neurodivergent children. If you would like to gain volunteer hours by cleaning up our collected sensory toys, please contact the email below. Every five toys cleaned is worth half an hour of volunteering. projectvermilion.asd@gmail.com All donations are given to EasterSeals for their Me In Progress system.
What has been the club’s proudest moment in the last 12 months?
Proudest Moment: We published an educational module to inform public health and serve as a first-aid mental health kit, specifically targeting eating disorders in association with Harvard Medical School’s Fenway Health Institute.
How does the club contribute to the local or the border community?
Contribution to Community: We provide workshops to kids struggling with mental health on psychological systems and psychological bias, we work with highschoolers and support research in neurodivergence through mentorship and data analysis resources and teaching, we bring awareness to the stigma around neurodivergence specifically in Asian communities that may prevent them from getting the help and support they need, and we collect clean and donate used sensory toys to help guide their motor skills.
What are the long-term goals for the club?
Long-Term Goals: Expansion into working within Asian communities in order to address the stigma rather than simply bringing awareness has become a long term challenge and future goal to address, furthermore we would love to host a webinar program for experts to come and talk about their philosophy and perspective on neurodivergence in our society.
Anything else you would like to say to ecolyst.org readers?
Anything Else: If you would like to volunteer, check out website and sign up via the google form, and remember to be kind!
More About Mahie:
Bio: I am a 16 year-old high school junior with interest in neurocircuitry. I aim to design and develop behavioral innovations for the neurodivergent population. I am a student researcher and volunteer with a foundation in neurology, data analysis, machine learning, and cognitive psychology.
Position: Founder of Project Vermilion
Link: https://www.projectvermilion.com
Here’s our google forms: https://forms.gle/jTyFukNSfpPa5bFD7
