When it comes to exposing children to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), the possible positive effects can have an amazing ripple effect.
- STEM subjects can offer a huge number of career opportunities later in life.
- STEM subjects provide an excellent opportunity for kids to explore and learn how the world works.
- STEM subjects offer an opportunity for children to learn together and collaborate.
- STEM provides a platform for children to generate new ideas, explore alternative solutions and create something new.
But giving kids these opportunities is often not cheap; there are many costs involved in purchasing materials and training staff to coordinate these experiences.
After volunteering in over 3,000 classrooms, Beth and Jake Hunter left their formal STEM careers in 2016 and launched a mission to create solutions for better hands-on STEM in classrooms. In 2018, they founded the STEMTaught Foundation to do just that.
Here is more about STEMTaught from Beth Hunter
I never thought we would leave the security of all that we had worked to attain as a geologist and engineer at Chevron but after 10 years we saw that helping schools was our next great adventure.
STEMTaught started with a box of rocks that I brought to an amazing principal of my kindergartener’s school and asked what I could do to help the teachers with hands-on science materials. We had been volunteering in our kids' classrooms on our lunch breaks bringing in fun science explorations and the principal fully supported anything we wanted to do with the students.
The trust and partnership we formed with Rosedale Union Schools District was pivotal in our ability to begin our work in schools. I saw that schools were full of the most amazing teachers and administrators but the quality of the science materials and training for teachers was severely lacking. Science is so much more than reading from a book or watching a movie of a white male in a lab coat. Science is all around us and students are ready to explore and create. Our kids led the way of our program development. We would follow our little scientists on adventures and then work to bring a similar experience back to classrooms.
The STEMTaught Foundation was founded in 2018 in response to the great need we see in schools. Since that time we have partnered with over 25 universities and had our work funded by National Geographic. We are currently helping schools across California, Arizona, Hawaii and the Ulithi Atoll.
Our mission has been clear and focused from the start: To help schools have access to great STEM supplies, training and support. One teacher reaches so many students throughout their career, and we hope to continue to find ways to support them and make school more fun all in the name of science! Funding through grants and donations as well as community volunteers helps us do our work with schools and allows us to change the world by improving education.
Thank you to Beth and Jake for your energy and support of the young people in the Kern County community!
To find out more about how you can support STEMTaught, CLICK HERE.
This is being provided for informational purposes only and is not an endorsement by Lincoln Financial Advisors. STEMTaught Foundation is not an affiliate of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. Lincoln Financial Advisors is not responsible for and does not guarantee the accuracy of the information or the services provided by STEMTaught.
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