News

Kid Spark Education Expands Access to Early Childhood STEM & Literacy Through New Head Start Initiative

Kid Spark Education — Thu, 14 May 2026 20:33:12 GMT

WEBB CITY, MO — May 6, 2026 — Kid Spark Education announced the launch of its Head Start STEM & Literacy Initiative, a national effort designed to increase access to high-quality, hands-on STEM and literacy learning for young children in Head Start programs across the country.

Kid Spark Education Launches Transformative Early Childhood STEM & Literacy Program

Kid Spark Education — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:38:07 GMT

New hands-on program helps young learners build curiosity, confidence, and foundational STEM and literacy skills.

Western Digital Foundation Sponsors Kid Spark STEM Program at Aragon Elementary School

amala@kidsparkeducation.org (Amal Abuqawod) — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 18:26:42 GMT

Kid Spark Education has been awarded a generous grant from the Western Digital Foundation to bring hands-on STEM education to Aragon Elementary—a Title I public school serving students in El Paso County, Colorado. This generous grant will support the full implementation of a sustainable STEM program, empowering young learners with access to high-quality STEM learning experiences. The program is set to begin in Fall 2025, and educators have been trained and are ready to go!

21st CCLC Funds to Be Released Following Widespread Support

Kid Spark Education — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 18:51:36 GMT

Kid Spark Education applauds the Administration’s decision to release funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program to state education agencies. This action ensures that afterschool and summer learning programs can continue to support students and families across the country.

Kid Spark Education to Pilot STEM program at YMCA Buffalo Niagara as part of General Motors Grant to Bring STEM Opportunities to Rural Youth

amala@kidsparkeducation.org (Amal Abuqawod) — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 16:36:56 GMT

Kid Spark’s hands-on STEM learning programs will be part of a new initiative at YMCA Buffalo Niagara, made possible through a partnership between YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) and General Motors (GM).

Ross Stores Foundation Supports Kid Spark’s STEM Equity Initiative

Kid Spark Education — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 17:45:00 GMT

Kid Spark Education has been awarded a generous grant from Ross Stores Foundation to support the implementation of a STEM Equity Grant in an elementary school in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Kid Spark Education is thrilled to partner with Ross Stores Foundation, which has a demonstrated and longstanding commitment to empowering young people with the educational tools needed for success in the workforce. The grant will cover the cost of providing a full elementary STEM program to a Title I public elementary school in Rock Hill, South Carolina, that serves a significant population of children from backgrounds historically underrepresented in STEM fields. Efforts are currently underway to get the program started.

Kid Spark Education is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering all children, especially those from underserved and underrepresented communities, to learn and love STEM. We develop innovative STEM learning products and solutions, share them with schools and informal learning providers across the country, and support educators as they mentor the next generation of inventors, leaders, and creative problem solvers.

Bridgestone Americas Trust Fund Sponsors a STEM Equity Grant in Detroit

Kid Spark Education — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Kid Spark Education is proud to announce that Burns Elementary School in Detroit, Michigan, has been awarded a Kid Spark STEM Program through its nationwide STEM Equity Grants Initiative.

Kid Spark Education is proud to announce that Burns Elementary School in Detroit, Michigan, has been awarded a Kid Spark STEM Program through its nationwide STEM Equity Grants Initiative. Made possible through a partnership with Bridgestone Americas, this program provides underserved schools and informal learning providers with the materials and resources needed to deliver hands-on, progressive STEM learning opportunities. Similar programs have launched in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Indianapolis, Indiana, with Burns Elementary set to begin in Spring 2025.

On December 11, Kid Spark’s Executive Director, Ryan Neden, led a training session with Burns Elementary educators to prepare them to implement the program. This comprehensive training ensures educators are ready to guide students as they explore mechanical and structural engineering, applied mathematics, and coding and robotics—essential skills for building confidence and critical thinking in STEM.

Kid Spark Education is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring all children—especially those from underserved and underrepresented communities—have the opportunity to learn and love STEM. Through hands-on STEM Labs (kits), engaging curriculum, and professional development for educators, Kid Spark empowers students to become confident inventors, leaders, and creative problem solvers.

Bridgestone Americas Sponsors STEM Equity Grant to Ernie Pyle Elementary School

Kid Spark Education — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 14:15:00 GMT

For inquiries, please contact:
Ryan Neden, Executive Director
ryann@kidsparkeducation.org

Firestone Racing and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation Partner with Kid Spark Education

Kid Spark Education — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Kid Spark Education Brings STEM Learning to Nashville’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix

Nashville, Tennessee — Sept 9, 2024 - By Amal Abuqawod

The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix is an annual NTT INDYCAR Series race held in Nashville, Tennessee. The event takes place on a unique street circuit that crosses the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge. In addition to the high-speed race, it features live music, entertainment, local food, and this year, STEM education!

In partnership with Firestone Racing and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, Kid Spark introduced INDYcar racing in a fun, educational way to children in the Nashville area community.

At McMurray Middle School, a Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation STEM Center recipient, students explored the different elements of an INDYcar and built their own models using Kid Spark engineering materials. They tested and modified their cars, experimenting with different designs to see which could travel the furthest down an inclined plane.

At the Nashville Adventure Science Center, young learners had the exciting opportunity to meet INDYcar driver Josef Newgarden and read Josef’s Big Dream: An Indy 500 Story, written by author Andy Amendola. Afterward, with the help of Firestone Racing's iconic mascot, Firehawk, they used Kid Spark engineering materials to build their own INDYcars, making the event both educational and fun.

TC Energy & Kid Spark Education Expand Partnership

Kid Spark Education — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 17:30:00 GMT

For inquiries, please contact:
Ryan Neden, Executive Director
ryann@kidsparkeducation.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kid Spark Education Partners with TC Energy to Expand the STEM Equity Grants Initiative and Develop New Energy-themed Curriculum

Webb City, MO – August 14th, 2024 – Kid Spark Education and TC Energy are excited to announce a significant expansion of our partnership to bring more hands-on STEM learning experiences to students and introduce a new energy-themed curriculum.

A Partnership with Impact

The relationship between Kid Spark Education and TC Energy began in 2021 with a generous grant that funded five elementary STEM programs in Houston, TX, through Kid Spark's STEM Equity Grants Initiative.

Expanding the STEM Equity Grants Initiative

Building on the initial success, TC Energy is now funding the expansion of the STEM Equity Grants Initiative to eight new sites in underserved communities across the United States. This initiative aims to provide high-quality STEM learning opportunities to children who might not otherwise have access to such resources. Focusing on underserved communities, the goal is to bridge the educational gap and ensure all students have the chance to develop crucial 21st-century skills. "Kid Spark is thrilled to expand its partnership with TC Energy to provide STEM learning opportunities to more children. Through this collaboration, thousands of children in underserved communities will gain a lasting interest and confidence in STEM,” says Ryan Neden, Kid Spark Education Executive Director.

Introducing a New Energy-Themed Curriculum

In addition to expanding the STEM Equity Grants Initiative, TC Energy employees will collaborate with Kid Spark educational specialists to develop a new energy-themed curriculum. This curriculum will cover essential concepts related to energy, sustainability, and the future of energy infrastructure. By incorporating real-world applications and insights from industry experts, this unit will give students a deeper understanding of the vital role energy plays in our world. Additionally, Kid Spark will feature stories from TC Energy employees, showcasing real-life examples of STEM professionals from diverse backgrounds.

Looking Ahead

Curriculum development is officially underway and sites are currently being identified for program placement, to launch as early as Fall 2024. “TC Energy is proud to invest in STEM learning for students of all ages,” says TC Energy’s Manager of Social Impact, Trevence Mitchell. “Kid Spark is a trusted partner of ours, and we commend the work they do to build children’s interest and confidence in STEM subjects. We look forward to collaborating with Kid Spark further to develop energy-related curricula and inspire future energy problem solvers.”

Join Us

For more information about Kid Spark Education, visit www.kidsparkeducation.org.

If you’d like to partner with us to increase equity in STEM education, please reach out to partner@kidsparkeducation.org.