One of Dr. Perry’s most impactful contributions has been the development of the THINK (Translational Health in Nutrition and Kinesiology) program, an innovative science-based nutrition and exercise curriculum designed to inspire young people to make informed decisions about their health. Rooted in STEM education, the THINK program combines classroom instruction, hands-on laboratory and physical fitness testing, to teach students the scientific principles underlying nutrition and exercise science, performance analytic, and healthy lifestyle behaviors. Dr. Perry first developed the program in 2004 as part of a major grant that equipped schoolteachers with evidence-based strategies to integrate exercise, nutrition, and fitness concepts into mathematics and science instruction. The program subsequently expanded through support from the Children’s Trust Foundation and the YMCA of Greater Miami, enabling underserved youth to participate in community- and school-based educational programs that promoted lifelong healthy behaviors.

Building on these early successes, Dr. Perry has continued to refine and expand the THINK program through partnerships with Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the University of Miami, wherein she established a THINK summer program for underserved adolescents beginning in 2017. Evaluations of the program have demonstrated meaningful improvements in physical fitness/literacy, nutrition habits, and psychosocial well-being, with several benefits persisting months after program completion. These findings have been disseminated through numerous peer-reviewed publications, establishing the THINK program as an evidence-based model for translating scientific knowledge into practical health education for youth. Dr. Perry’s long-term vision is to cultivate a new generation of student ambassadors who promote healthy lifestyles not only among their peers but also within their families and communities, thereby fostering a lasting culture of health and wellness.