At We STEM the Future, we believe every child has the power to shape the future. Our mission is to inspire and empower the next generation to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). To achieve this, we’ve created the Welcome to STEM program—a hands-on, 5-day held at elementary schools experience designed to ignite a love for learning and discovery in young minds. This recurring program offers a dynamic introduction to key STEM fields, allowing students to dive into fun, interactive projects that spark their curiosity and nurture critical thinking. Whether students are curious about building structures, designing planes, learning to code, or tackling global challenges, the Welcome to STEM program provides a gateway into the vast world of STEM innovation. Each day of the program introduces students to a new discipline, combining exciting activities with real-world problem-solving, helping participants understand how STEM can make a positive impact on the world.

Day 1: Engineering

The program begins with a dynamic engineering challenge led by our founder, Ani Nishanian. Students are tasked with building the tallest tower possible using only 20 straws and 2 feet of tape. Ani will introduce key concepts like structural integrity, balance, and teamwork, helping students understand how engineers solve problems in the real world. This activity sets the tone for the week, encouraging students to think critically and creatively while having fun.

Day 2: Aerodynamics

On day two, students will take flight with an exciting aerodynamics challenge: designing and testing their own paper airplanes to see which one flies the farthest. Adding to the excitement, guest speaker Brian Roy, an expert in aerospace engineering, will join us to share insights into the science of flight and how aerodynamics plays a crucial role in aircraft design. Students will experiment with different airplane shapes and learn how small changes can lead to big results in performance.

Day 3: Coding

Technology takes center stage on day three as students dive into the basics of coding. Using Scratch, a beginner-friendly programming platform, participants will create their own Mad Libs game. This fun activity introduces students to coding logic, sequences, and problem-solving in an interactive and creative way. By the end of the session, students will have completed their first coding project and gained confidence in their ability to code and innovate.

Day 4: Chemistry

Day four brings chemistry to life through a hands-on yeast fermentation experiment. Students will use everyday materials to blow up a balloon by mixing yeast, sugar, and warm water, learning how chemical reactions work in the process. This fun and engaging experiment gives students a taste of the scientific method, encouraging them to hypothesize, observe, and draw conclusions as they watch the fermentation process in action.

Day 5: Sustainability

The final day focuses on sustainability and environmental stewardship. Students will have the option to design posters and public service announcements promoting recycling or write a personal sustainability plan detailing how they will take action to protect the environment. This activity empowers students to think globally and act locally, showing them how STEM can be used to tackle some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

At We STEM the Future, our mission is to provide students with meaningful STEM experiences that ignite curiosity and foster a love for learning. The Welcome to STEM program introduces young learners to a wide range of STEM fields while building foundational skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork.

Through hands-on activities and insights from professionals like guest speaker Brian Roy, students will see how STEM connects to real-world innovation and how they can be part of that future. Whether it’s building, coding, experimenting, or advocating for sustainability, we show students that STEM is not only fun but also essential to shaping the world around them.

Are you ready to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders? Sign up for our next Welcome to STEM program and join us on this exciting journey. Together, we’re building the future, one child at a time.

Why to Invite us to your School

“We will always have STEM with us. Some things will drop out of the public eye and go away, but there will always be science, engineering, and technology. And there will always, always be mathematics.”

-Katherine Johnson