The STEMpreneur Initiative bridges the gap between education and industry by equipping educators at all levels with the tools they need to holistically integrate STEM education into classrooms.

About us

Girl smiling while holding STEM learning tool

We are a team of STEM Professionals (Administrators, Engineers, Tech Specialists, Chemists, etc.) with backgrounds in education, which sets us apart from the average. With a strong passion for STEM education, The STEMpreneur Initiative (TSPI) Team takes advantage of every opportunity to give back to the next generation(s) through the exploration of the possibilities of STEM careers with students at the K12 and collegiate levels, as well as working with teachers.

Over the years, The STEMpreneur Initiative has supported educational efforts with institutions such as Johns Hopkins University’s Whiting School of Engineering, the University of Virginia’s Center for Community Partnerships outreach initiatives and College Board's Career Kickstart initiative. These programs explore the possibilities of STEM careers with students at the K12 and collegiate levels, as well as working with teachers. The STEMpreneur Initiative has a strong track record of facilitating professional development workshops and trainings for teachers targeting both content mastery and classroom management. The TSPI team is now working to expand effective pipeline programming across the state of Virginia for the upcoming school year.

What is the purpose for The Initiative:

The purpose of The STEMpreneur Initiative is to bridge the gap between education and industry by equipping educators at all levels—pre-service, in-service, and aspiring teachers—, and in all capacities - in school, out of school, community based, etc.- with the understanding, the tools and resources, and the support they need to holistically integrate STEM education effectively into classrooms. Through strategic partnerships with schools, higher education institutions, and industry, we aim to create sustainable pathways for teacher and student success in STEM fields.

Devin sets up a display in front of the STEMpreneur Mobile Stem Lab

Mission

To empower educators by providing high-quality professional development, mentorship, and hands-on training in STEM and the Engineering Design Process, ensuring they are equipped to inspire the rising generation of world changers and innovative leaders with the skills and knowledge needed for future success in STEM Career fields.

Vision

We envision a future where every classroom is supported by educators who are confident and capable of teaching the art of critical thinking and problem solving, fostering students who exhibit creativity, resilience and a diversity of perspectives prepared to tackle global challenges and drive technological progress.

You can help shift traditional paradigms in STEM education.

Donate today

Our people

Our Leadership (Board of Directors)

Derrick Henley

Board Member

Kenneth Holman

Board Member

Elizabeth “Beth” Kelly

Board Member

Brian Smith

Board Member

Our Team (Staff)

Devin Canaday

Founder

D’Ivonne Holman

Executive Director

Amber Smith

Chief Operating Officer

Isi Azeke

Chief Financial Officer

Our approach

Professional Development

STEM is about application, not rote memorization. The best way to deliver a STEM lesson is to create a classroom environment of “organized chaos.” The STEMpreneur Initiative delivers evidence-based, high-quality professional developments for educators with the expressed intent to help them develop a deeper understanding of STEM content, the intersectionality of the core subject areas and create an environment of exploratory learning for students.

Through a curated process that ties classroom management, content mastery and equitable learning practices, teachers explore how to provide their students with the courage to think critically and ideate new ways to solve old problems, all the while failing forward.

K-12 Programming

At the primary grade levels, the focus of education is fostering a passion for learning and exploration in each young learner. For this purpose, The STEMpreneur Initiative partners with the Museum of Science, Boston, to deliver their award winning Engineering is Elementary curriculum. These units introduce students to the broad world of science and engineering in a way they can directly relate to their own worlds.

At the middle school and high school levels, TSPI builds upon the primary foundations through the introduction of entrepreneurial and business concepts, as well as leadership development training. This dynamic approach expands learners’ minds to consider the possibilities, whether they are moving into industry or planning to create the next paradigm shift.

College Pipeline Programming

One of the biggest concerns in education is the alarming attrition rates of new teachers being, experienced across the country. In response, The STEMpreneur Initiative leans into the proper preparation of new teachers by helping develop critical skills for teacher-candidates (collegiate students pursuing careers in education). These teacher-candidates are trained by the TSPI team of experienced educators and STEM practitioners, then paired with instructional coaches who support their growth as they deliver student programming.

Through this approach, the teacher-candidates connect with the demographic of students they may have in their future classrooms, gain familiarity with nationally recognized curriculum that meets national standards, and build both confidence and competence in their ability to be successful, all in a safe, exploratory setting.

How it works

Professional Development

TSPI will provide professional learning opportunities for current educators. These professional learning sessions range from 1 to 4 days in length and dive into the implementation of STEM and the Engineering Design Process within classroom settings. Leverage the core content from the book Designing Minds, the successful completion of focus sessions and associated assignments can be submitted to school leadership for CEU credit hours toward license renewal. The specific inclusion for the learning sessions can be partially customized by the school administration, based on the needs of their teaching staff.

K-12 Programming

The STEMpreneur Initiative does not offer a traditional direct service model. This means the core K-12 programming is typically created as an output of the Collegiate Programming. Whether for summer or after school programming, for elementary and/or middle grade levels, the program facilitators lead STEM sessions using lessons from the Engineering and Computer Science curriculum curated by the Museum of Science, Boston. At the middle school levels, these programs are bolstered by lessons from BizKids, which lean into business, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Both curricula meet learning standard for most states and at the national level. The specific logistics of the program are defined in partnership with the school or community partner in order to meet their need and programming desires.

College Pipeline Programming

TSPI helps to better prepare pre-service educators by providing them specialized professional learning, coupled with Out-of-School Time (OST) opportunities to apply their learning. During these afterschool and summer enrichment programs, Teacher-Candidates (TC) create tailored lesson plans, facilitate engaging STEM activities, and build their competency in classroom management and instructional delivery. Given the OST environment, this experience is provided in a low risk environment as there are no standardized tests or performance metrics beyond their growth and development. TC’s are sourced from local universities and colleges. The goal is to create a hiring pipeline between the higher ed partners and the educational site. In additional to these temporary employees supporting the specific program, there may be a need to hire a dedicated program coordinator or instructional coach to support the program site from the TSPI side, however, the majority of onsite management responsibilities will fall to the parent organization (i.e., the school appointed designee or the community partner leadership). The training of the TCs will fall to the current TSPI consultant team, primarily led by D. Canaday, B. Lee, and J. Copes. Additional IC may be available to support as needed.

The STEMpreneur Initiative Trainings

Evidence-based, high quality professional developments

Align with and support National and State Standards

Help educators teach more and manage less

Empower teachers to help challenging students succeed

Merge pedagogy with hands-on application and practice

Create learning environments to close achievement gaps

The STEMpreneur Initiative bridges the gap between education and industry by equipping educators at all levels with the tools they need to holistically integrate STEM education into classrooms.

About us

What is the purpose for The Initiative:

Mission

Vision

You can help shift traditional paradigms in STEM education.

Our people

Our Leadership (Board of Directors)

Our Team (Staff)

Our approach

Professional Development

How it works

Professional Development

The STEMpreneur Initiative Trainings

Looking to gain practical insights into implementing the STEMpreneur Framework?