Mobile STEM Education for Diverse Minds

STEM is the fastest growing industry sector, yet it lacks key elements of innovation; diversity and equitable resources. This can be seen with women of color, who only make up 5% of the STEM industry.

Our solution to this disparity is providing mobile STEM education to under-served populations, especially girls and women of color, by way of hands-on projects and extracurricular activities. 

Hello, my name is Takeerah Jones, owner and founder of Busy Bees Learning Center, a woman & minority owned small business providing mobile STEM educational services to under-served populations. 

In the past 8 months, we have provided over 30 classes to over 130 students. 50% of those students identify as girls or women, and we look forward to increasing that percentage as our organization expands and grows.  

We have taught STEM classes for the Friendship Circle, whose services cater to teenagers and adults with special needs. We have direct contact with women in the community.

We also were featured in the Bloomfield Community Spotlight alongside Kumon tutoring center. We are honored to be featured again in July and September 2023.

By working with kids on the spectrum and children of color, we are bridging the gap in access to quality education and providing equal opportunities for all learners. Our learners develop critical skills and pursue rewarding careers in Science and Technology.

The solution for working with neuro-diversities in STEM involves an inclusive curriculum that is tailored to the diverse needs of students.  This includes creating hands-on activities, utilizing assisting technologies, and incorporating multi-sensory learning approaches to engage and accommodate different learning styles. Our solution also includes creating a collaborative environment where students can learn from each other and build confidence in their abilities. Encouraging peer interactions, teamwork, and positive social interactions can foster a sense of belonging and enhance the overall learning experience.  

Our primary target markets are currently the town of Livingston and Montclair in Essex County, New Jersey. Based on a 2020 census Livingston township had a population of 31,300 with 5.1% under the age of 5yrs and 26.5% under 18 years of age. The township has a median household income of $176,991 with 8 public elementary middle schools covering 3,727 students. We also observed that 96.8% of the households have computers and 96.7% have broadband and internet service. When we look at Montclair, the township has a population of 40,935 people from the 2021 Census. The median household income amounts to $149, 982 with people under 5 yrs at 4.8% and those under 18 yrs account for 26.6% of the town’s population and 93.9% of the population with broadband and internet service. Choosing these neighborhoods provide a fit for our target audience and as such success for our business. 

We serve girls in under-served communities in Livingston, Montclair, and  Bloomfield, New Jersey. Because we are mobile-based, we are able to meet them where they are. Our soultion addresses their need for a fair and inclusive education in STEM and other academic areas. Children on the spectrum utilize the left side of thier brain and we provide STEM challenges that promote the use of the right side of their brain. Our research is extensive and taoilored to create a beneficial program for the developement of our learners.We communicate openly and honestly with our clients in order to understand fulfill their needs. We request reviews for their feedback and we offer opportunities for the students to choose our next STEM challenge.

Our team includes educators,professionals, and volunteers who have personal connections to the communities we serve. By prioritizing community engagement and collaboration, the team can ensure that the design and implementation of our solution are guided by the input of the communities we serve. In order to understand the needs of the community, we will create partnerships with local organizations, schools, and community groups that serve children with special abilities. Regular engagement with these stakeholders can provide valuable insights.  Throughout the design and implementation hase, the team will seek out feedback from our target population to access the impact of the solution

Our primary target markets are currently the town of Livingston and Montclair in Essex County, New Jersey. Based on a 2020 census Livingston township had a population of 31,300 with 5.1% under the age of 5yrs and 26.5% under 18 years of age. The township has a median household income of $176,991 with 8 public elementary middle schools covering 3,727 students. We also observed that 96.8% of the households have computers and 96.7% have broadband and internet service. When we look at Montclair, the township has a population of 40,935 people from the 2021 Census. The median household income amounts to $149, 982 with people under 5 yrs at 4.8% and those under 18 yrs account for 26.6% of the town’s population and 93.9% of the population with broadband and internet service. Choosing these neighborhoods provide a fit for our target audience and as such success for our business. 

The barriers that we face include financial barriers with limited funding or resources to develop and sustain the solution, including the cost of specialized equipment, assistive technology training programs, and hiring qualified personnel. We also have technology barriers with a Lack of access to appropriate technology infrastructure, such as accessible software that cater to the diverse needs of our students. Lastly, there are cultural barriers: Addressing gender and cultural stigmas, biases, or misconceptions surrounding neuro-diversities, which can affect acceptance, inclusion, and the willingness of stakeholders to support initiatives focused on students with unique needs in STEM. I am confident that Solve will help us with coaching, classes, strategies, and access to experts across a variety industry sectors. 

The Team Lead actively participates in and donates to the annual Farmer’s Market event, providing giveaways and children’s activities. This allows the CEO the opportunity to meet and engage with educators, parents, students, and community members directly. By actively connecting with and involving the community, the Team Lead  can ensure that the project is rooted in the local context, responding to the needs of the community, and reflecting their values and aspirations. The team lead has donated to Montclair Library and in-kind to the Friendship Circle in order to bring more awareness to girls and children of color.

Our solution is to increase accessibility to STEM and to  build a community of strong women. By nurturing a growth mindset and passion for exploration, we prepare students to be innovative problem-solvers in the marketplace. Being a black woman-owned business, I am able to understand the communities on a personal level. Our direct impact on the local community is by providing STEM education for most vulnerable students, giving them the opportunity for a future in the ever evolving area of STEM. Our broader impact is bringing education to disadvantaged communities, meeting them where they are. We understand the unique needs of our students and are cognizant of the biases they face. Our programs in private schools will increase their enrollment; thereby increasing the number of women that seek out careers in STEM. 

In one year, our impact goal is to enhance our curriculum with 40 advanced classes and awards to provide an incentive for participation. We will develop new partnerships with organizations committed to diversity and inclusion in STEM fields. We have currently formed strategic partnerships (AACCNJ, Rising Tide, WCEC, BIPOC and female entrepreneurs) Township of Bloomfield, Salvation Army, and becoming bonded for government contract. In order to achieve this goal we will engage with new schools and organizations to increase our outreach. In the next 5 years, we intend to offer scholarships and financial support by contributing $300 per year that will total in $1500 in 5 years. We will sponsor STEM competitions in New Jersey and target underrepresented students pursuing STEM education. This will reduce the barriers to access and ensure diversities in STEM fields. 

We keep a CRM with the number of organizations that we connect with as well as a number of students enrolled. We document the percent of non-male students, number of classes, and geographical footprint to reflect the mission of teaching under-served communities. Lastly, we track revenue to support sustained growth and have a cash flow statement for the current and upcoming years.

Activities: Creating accessible STEM programming for under-served communities, with special consideration for non-male identifying students

Output: Completion of classes, curriculum, project creation .

Short Term Outcomes: Builds confidence, social skills, collaborating with others, communication, basic competency of STEM education.

Long Term Outcomes: Increase in # of non-male in STEM, increasing innovation and revenue for companies, increasing value they bring and addressing earning gap.

For our STEM solution, we use adaptive tools to support students with unique needs such as communication aids, cards with music, playing music, creating lessons for students to smash the magna tiles(students enjoy the sound).These technologies are beneficial as they provide engagement and auditory stimulation.

We teach soft skills, to enrich their sense of self. Our evidence based practices focus on confidence building and we are knowledgeable on sensory needs to improve educational impact

1 Team Leader- CEO

1 Volunteer

1 Independent Contractor

7 years 

Incorporating diversity and inclusivity into our work requires a thoughtful and intentional approach that recognizes the value of different perspectives and experiences. The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields have traditionally faced challenges related to diversity and inclusion, with underrepresentation of certain groups, such as women and minorities. However, efforts are being made to address these issues and create more inclusive environments. Here are some key strategies for incorporating diversity and inclusivity into our STEM work:

1. Education and Outreach: Promote STEM education and outreach initiatives that specifically target underrepresented groups. This can include organizing workshops, mentoring programs, and scholarships to encourage their participation in STEM fields.
2. Bias Awareness and Mitigation: Raise awareness about unconscious biases that may exist within the STEM community and actively work to mitigate them. This involves creating training programs and workshops to educate employees and researchers about implicit biases and providing tools to address them.
3. Diverse Hiring and Promotion Practices: Implement inclusive hiring practices to attract a diverse pool of candidates. This can involve using blind resume reviews, expanding recruitment networks, and ensuring diverse representation on hiring committees. Additionally, promote equal opportunities for career advancement and professional development for individuals from underrepresented groups.
4. Inclusive Work Environment: Foster an inclusive work environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported. Encourage open communication, teamwork, and collaboration, and establish zero-tolerance policies for discrimination or harassment. Implement employee resource groups or affinity networks that provide support and resources for underrepresented groups.
5. Diversity in Research and Curriculum: Promote diversity in research by encouraging the inclusion of diverse perspectives and experiences in scientific studies and experiments. In addition, ensure that STEM curricula reflect the contributions of diverse scientists and highlight the relevance of STEM to diverse communities. By adopting these strategies, we can work towards creating more equitable and inclusive STEM environments.