There is nothing like that “aha” moment in a class when you finally get it. When all of a sudden the pieces fall into place and you’re so excited because it makes sense, and now all you want to do is share this new information, start a new project. Those are my favorite moments in school.
They are also public health professor Karl Larson’s favorite moments, light bulb moments he calls them, and the key to transforming student learning into confidence, self-awareness, and passion.
Larson has been part of National Case Study Competition in Health Education (NCSCHE) for over 20 years, a space where students put their public health skills to the test in real-world scenarios. A space SOPHE has been long associated with as well.
His favorite moments of this conference are “watching the light bulb go off” as students problem solve, strategize, and present their ideas to real world public health case studies.
“At some point just even in the middle of them speaking, you see them go, ‘yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,, this is where I want to go with this,’” he said. “And all of a sudden, boom! They just take off.”
This rush of understanding, of passion, is often where he sees students truly grow.
These moments don’t come from an adult pushing them, but rather from mentors shaping an environment that allows “students to get comfortable with who they are and what their skills are.”
With purposeful mentorship: listening, asking questions, and encouraging versus correcting, students tend to flourish, learning “what they need to work on and how they can be better.”
In turn, students’ confidence grow, as does their sense of how they can keep improving.
Talking with Larson, I could feel the impact of having that kind of supportive adult: one who doesn’t dismiss but shares in your passion. As a young adult myself I would be grateful to any adult who lifts up my passion, facilitates more “light bulb” moments, and helps create an atmosphere of discovery.
Easier said than done. But something I hope to learn to do in the future.
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This blog post was written by Josie Miller, a student at Tufts University passionate about community health, storytelling, and honoring diverse lived experiences. This piece explores how real stories don’t just inform, they create connections, expand perspectives, and help build stronger, more compassionate communities.
