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The mental health impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on PK–12 youth is likely an urgent and enduring concern, yet research on this topic is still emerging. To synthesize current knowledge, the researchers conducted a systematic review of empirical studies exploring the mental health impacts of COVID-19. Five themes emerged across 104 included studies: (a) the pandemic proved widely disruptive to PK–12 youth; (b) there was a clear connection between the mental health of caregivers (e.g., parents) and children; (c) the pandemic broadly increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression in PK–12 youth; (d) students were particularly affected on the basis of age, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and previous mental health or disability diagnosis; and (e) youth demonstrated negative and positive coping strategies and even saw some positive mental health outcomes during the pandemic. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed.

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Motivation and psychological characteristics play important roles in college student success. Upon matriculation, pre-health students must strive for academic success to present competitive profiles for health professions schools. In this qualitative study, 17 high-achieving, upper level pre-health students at a large, mid-Atlantic university participated in focus groups and wrote letters of advice to incoming freshmen, which provided insight into their definitions of academic success and the psychological and contextual factors they perceive as promoters of success. They struggled to reconcile their mastery goals for academic success with perceived expectations to perform and compete for admissions to health professions schools. Students with grit maintained passion for long-term goals and actively sought resources to support individual needs.

Researcher-practitioner partnerships (RPPs) present opportunities to conduct studies that support evidence-based decision-making for participating school divisions (Coburn, Penuel, & Geil, 2013). Doing this work effectively requires ongoing input from key stakeholders, attention to the local impact of the research, and targeted dissemination to audiences who can benefit from the findings (Tseng, 2012). Research dissemination methods typically include written reports, but constantly evolving media platforms show promise for sharing findings in engaging and innovative ways (Voithofer, 2005). This paper discusses the development and apparent impact of a podcast for a metropolitan RPP to disseminate research findings and other information pertinent to the priorities of partnering school divisions, with implications for broader conversations about exploring issues in public, PK-12 education.