ABOUT | stemeducationinc-cop

Our Story

MISSION

STEM Education Inc is a Colorado non profit Corporation created to promote and establish the next generation of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) leaders for the 21st Century!

History of the Organization and its Mission.

The mission of STEM Education Inc is to empower children and young adults with the knowledge and resources needed to inspire an early passion for science, technology, engineering, and math and computer science (STEM+CS) through hands-on, scientific experimentation and exploration of today's technology so they can create and lead the world of tomorrow.

Current Programs, Activities and Accomplishments.

Currently, STEM Education, Inc. launches after school and summer STEM+CS Clubs for Elementary and Middle School students including:

1. LEGO League Jr. Teams where children explore STEM through a brand they know and love − LEGO®. Children get to:

Explore challenges facing today's scientists
Discover real-world math and science
Design and build a challenge-related model using LEGO® Education WeDo
Create a Show Me Poster and practice presentation skills
Develop teamwork skills
Choose to participate in Expos and showcases
Engage in team activities guided by the FIRST LEGO League Jr. Core Values

2. LEGO League (FLL) Robotics Teams: The basis of FLL is providing children with an opportunity to participate in a robotics team experience which culminates in an FLL robotics tournament - a cheerful atmosphere where youngsters need to solve a tricky "mission" with the help of a LEGO MINDSTORMS robot. Children will:

Design, build and program LEGO EV3 MINDSTORM robots to perform tasks autonomously on an exciting “mission field”
Research real world problems and create innovative solutions using scientific, technological and practical ideas to meet the need
Be challenged to solve complex tasks in a friendly, team environment

3. Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics Teams: This robotics team experience is designed for students in grades 7–12 to compete head to head in robotics tournaments, using a sports model. Teams are responsible for designing, building, and programming their robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams:

Participants call it “the hardest fun you’ll ever have!”
Kids develop STEM skills and practice engineering principles (like keeping an engineering notebook), while realizing the value of hard work, innovation, and sharing ideas.
Teams design and market their team brand while doing community outreach for which they can win awards.
Participants have access to tens of millions of dollars in college scholarships.

Staff at STEM Education Inc. have established numerous FLL and FTC teams within Colorado during the past 20 years. The result has been the efforts of our FLL and FTC teams winning at State and Regional Championships, with several of those teams winning opportunities to represent Colorado in competition at the FIRST World Championship.

STEM Education, Inc. programs promote character development, problem solving with decision making, and team building skills. Our goal is to begin at a young age to inspire youth to pursue ideals and academic challenges through Project Based Learning opportunities in STEM+CS.

Description of the Program

We are specialists with 20 years of experience at successfully getting kids involved in STEM+CS using robotic tournaments through FIRST – For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. FIRST is an international youth organization that operates the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), FIRST LEGO League, (FLL), FIRST LEGO League Jr. The motto of FIRST is, "To create a world where science and technology are celebrated... where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes."

Through our after-school STEM+CS clubs, children are introduced to engineering and computer science using “kid friendly” materials which engage the child’s interest immediately. Stimulating creativity, perseverance and technological skills, at all levels, we learn to work as a “team” through robotics tournaments. The concept of competition going hand in hand with efforts to see others succeed permeates every aspect of the learning environment, reinforcing life skills of “pursuit with cooperation.”

Expected Results of the Program

Expected outcomes are improved academics and school attendance rates, confidence in skills achieved and relationships built. Experiencing robotics and engineering on a competitive platform, students’ research of real-world problems and project based learning makes what they learn "come alive" with purpose. Retention is the outcome!

A recent study of the success of this program has found the following: “Brandeis University’s Center for Youth and Communities conducted an independent, retrospective survey of participants and compared results to a group of non-participants with similar backgrounds and academic experiences, including math and science. Highlights of the study’s findings include:

When compared with the comparison group, FIRST students are:

• More than 3 x's as likely to major specifically in engineering.
• Roughly 10 x's as likely to have had an apprenticeship, internship, or co-op job in their freshman year of college.
• Significantly more likely to expect to achieve a post graduate degree.
• More than twice as likely to expect to pursue a career in science and technology.
• Nearly 4 x's as likely to expect to pursue a career specifically in engineering.
• More than twice as likely to volunteer in their communities.

The high levels of college-going applied across the board to both men and women and across racial and ethnic groups.77% percent of female robotics alumni were in college, and 78% of Hispanic alumni – all above the national averages for those groups. 47% of female alumni took engineering classes, 59% had a science/technology internship or jobs; 53% Hispanic alumni took engineering courses and 29% had science/technology internships or jobs.

Each team will be scored in four areas: Robot Design, Robot Performance, Project Research/Presentation, and Core Values.