Charlene's World™: Charlene & The STEAM Machine™

The issue of gaps in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) participation and representation among black and brown girls is a recognized challenge. Systemic barriers, cultural biases, lack of representation, and limited access to resources and opportunities contribute to this problem. The pandemic also revealed and exacerbated systemic weaknesses and educational inequities that impact students nationwide, especially in urban cities like Chicago. 

Chicago Public Schools is nearly 83% African American and Hispanic. Pre-existing gaps for Black and Latino CPS students have deepened, and during the 2020-21 school year, only 5.6% of Black and 11% of Latino students met the statewide math standardized testing benchmark, compared with 43% of their white peers and 53.3% of their Asian peers. Researchers, educators, and stakeholders are questioning how adequately CPS can prepare students for a job market increasingly reliant on technology and STEM skills.  The Englewood community - home to our solution- has faced years of social and economic disinvestment. Nearly all of the schools are low-performing, and recent school closures add to the blighted landscape of vacant homes and shuttered businesses. 

Researchers argue that without targeted 21st Century interventions, the results could lead to lower graduation rates, declines in college and postsecondary training enrollment, and an increase in the existing racial wealth gap.  Our solution is a girl-centered approach committed to reducing inequities faced by black and brown girls. We are dedicated to fostering collaboration amongst together community stakeholders to create a collective impact. 

• Representation: Charlene, our animated character, is a diverse and relatable role model. She is an inspiration, showcasing that girls of all backgrounds can excel in STEAM fields. Through Charlene's World, we provide girls with an empowering figure to look up to, fostering a sense of belonging and encouraging them to pursue their passions. 
• Targeted Outreach: Our mobile unit will travel directly to under-resourced areas and schools, including communities with predominantly black and brown populations. By bringing the magic of Charlene's World to their doorstep, we eliminate barriers of access to technology and transportation. 
• Culturally Relevant Content: Charlene's World metaverse, mobile unit activities, clubs, and summer camp curriculum are designed to be culturally relevant and inclusive. We incorporate STEAM topics that resonate with black and brown girls' experiences, histories, and cultures. By incorporating culturally relevant content, we create an environment that encourages girls to see themselves as valuable contributors in STEM.
• Mentorship and Role Models: Through our clubs and summer camp, we connect black and brown girls with STEAM mentors who serve as relatable role models.
• Scholarships and Financial Aid: To ensure inclusivity, we offer scholarships and financial aid programs. We believe that financial constraints should never be a barrier to accessing quality education and experiences.

By implementing these strategies, Charlene and the STEAM Machine is dedicated to creating a more inclusive and equitable STEM landscape for black and brown girls. We aim to empower girls with the skills, confidence, and opportunities needed to excel in STEAM fields and become future leaders and innovators in their communities and beyond.

Charlene's World™ is an innovative and immersive educational platform designed to inspire and empower elementary school girls in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education. It encompasses a metaverse, a mobile unit, exclusive club memberships, and an engaging 3-week summer camp, offering girls diverse opportunities for interactive learning, personal development, and career exploration.

The Metaverse:
The metaverse is at the core of Charlene's World™, an exciting virtual world accessible through various devices. In this immersive environment, girls embark on thrilling adventures alongside the character Charlene, who travels through time in her STEAM machine. The metaverse engages girls in interactive activities, quests, and challenges that promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. Through hands-on experiences, girls develop STEAM skills, gain confidence, and cultivate a love for learning in a safe digital environment.

The Mobile Unit:
To extend the impact of Charlene's World™ beyond virtual boundaries, a fully equipped mobile unit has been developed. This mobile unit serves as a dynamic interactive learning space that brings Charlene's World™ to elementary schools and underresourced communities. With touchscreens, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) technology, computers, and engaging educational resources, the mobile unit accommodates 15-20 girls at a time. It facilitates equal access to high-quality STEAM education, fostering inclusivity and bridging the digital divide.

Charlene's World™ Clubs:

Charlene's World™ Clubs offer exclusive subscription-based memberships, providing girls with unique benefits, rewards, and opportunities for engagement. Club members earn badges by completing quests and activities, unlocking virtual items, in-game currency, etc. Members receive personalized merchandise featuring Charlene and her companions, fostering a sense of belonging and pride. Members gain access to enhanced content and exclusive events and workshops. 

3-Week Summer Camp:
Charlene's World™ offers an exciting 3-week summer camp exclusively for girls, providing an immersive and hands-on experience in STEAM education. The camp combines elements from the metaverse, the mobile unit, and club activities to create a comprehensive curriculum. Girls participate in various STEAM-based workshops, experiments, and projects guided by skilled educators and mentors. The camp promotes collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity while fostering social-emotional learning and self-confidence. 

Impact and Benefits:
Charlene's World™ is designed to have a transformative impact on girls from diverse backgrounds, particularly those in under-resourced communities. By integrating STEAM education, social-emotional learning and mentorship, it empowers girls to develop essential skills, pursue STEAM careers, and build confidence. 

Revenue Model:
To generate revenue, Charlene's World™ employs a combination of revenue streams. The metaverse offers in-app purchases for virtual items and upgrades. At the same time, the mobile unit can be sponsored by organizations or educational institutions and offer marketing and advertising opportunities to local and national businesses. Charlene's World™ Clubs operate on a subscription-based membership. The 3-week summer camp charges a participation fee to cover operational costs. Additionally, opportunities for toys, products, e-books, and media production will be pursued to expand the brand. 

Charlene's World™ is an innovative and comprehensive educational initiative that combines a metaverse, a mobile unit, exclusive clubs, and an immersive summer camp experience by inspiring curiosity and fostering skill development.

Over 300,000 girls ages 5-17 reside in the city of Chicago. Representing
nearly 60% of the youth population, girls are a critical group whose needs have often been overshadowed by the undisputed needs of boys. The Hope Network of Schools (HNS) is an organizational member of the Coalition on Urban Girls Chicago (CUG) -a network of organizations, public agencies, researchers and community members committed to the health, safety, and wellness of girls. HNS contributed to the development of the “Girls in the City” Report, which was released in 2018 and featured local data highlighting the status of girls in Chicago. Our solution specifically targets elementary school girls in grades K-5th. In alignment with the report, we recognize the diverse needs and experiences of girls in this age group from target communities across the city, which may include girls who:

• qualify for free or reduced lunch;
• reside in single-female-headed households (ranging from 47% to 80%);
• have experienced one or more school suspensions;
• experienced trauma and exposure to violence;
• require academic support in reading and math;
• are seeking safe learning and social environments;
• have been bullied;
• are homeless or food insecure; and  
• may need educational support in culturally competent environments.

The HOPE Network of Schools (HNS) was developed by a grassroots group of educators, nonprofit leaders, community members, and S.T.E.A.M. professionals commissioned by Demoiselle 2 Femme, NFP, to
explore the needs, barriers, and educational gaps required to increase the participation of girls of color in STEM. Using human-centered design practices, girls have informed our proposed solution and our ongoing project to launch the Katherine G. Johnson STEAM School for Girls as a premiere K-8 academic institution.  

Through think tanks, community pop-ups, pilot programming, surveys, focus groups, and design thinking sessions, our team continues to engage girls as "first users." As digital natives, girls have challenged our team to push the boundaries of what currently exists and create educational experiences that are innovative and vastly different from those implemented in their schools. Persona profiles have been created to represent the diversity of girls targeted for the solution and inform design activities by providing a deeper understanding of their unique needs. Additionally, girls will have the opportunity to participate in "STEAM Design Labs" throughout the school year to create and test prototypes that will be integrated into programming the following year. 

Charlene's World™ is designed to have a transformative impact on girls from diverse backgrounds, particularly those in under-resourced communities. Integrating STEAM education, social-emotional learning, mentorship, and immersive experiences, our solution brings grassroots innovation directly to the community. It empowers girls to develop essential skills, pursue STEAM careers, and build confidence. The mobile unit ensures equitable access to STEAM education. At the same time, the clubs and summer camp creates supportive environments that foster social and emotional health, cultural exposure, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication - all essential 21st Century skills. 

The Design Team represents an average of 15-40 years of public education experience in administration, instruction, curriculum development, school improvement, professional development, and research. The team is also comprised of nonprofit leaders, college professors and administrators, STEAM professionals, parents, college students pursuing STEM majors, and recent graduates.  Thought leadership in girl-centered programming and services is heavily represented on the team by women who have positively impacted the "girl space" through gender-specific evidence-based curricula, publications, research, reports, and presentations at international conferences.  

The Hope Network of Schools was convened by Demoiselle 2 Femme, NFP (D2F)- an organization celebrating nearly 30 years of service to girls ages 13-19 in the Chicagoland area. Since 1994, D2F has supported over 1,000 girls to become first-generation college graduates and awarded approximately $56,000 in academic scholarships. Through one of its programs - "Femme 2 STEM" - D2F successfully engaged high school girls in problem-based learning through community design projects. The results included national recognition,  numerous awards, media attention, and over 80% of program participants pursuing STEM majors in college. The program's success compelled D2F to commission an exploratory group to examine how STEM opportunities for girls could be expanded to address the existing gaps. The outcomes highlighted the need for educational interventions and comprehensive models targeting elementary school girls. Thus, HNS was founded as a grassroots collaborative. 

The commitment to leadership and service demonstrated by the design team and its leaders can be found in Black and Brown communities spanning the Chicagoland area. Operating as agents of change, their work has impacted the areas of youth health promotion, college access, faith-based initiatives, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education, health care, STEM, food equity, housing, juvenile justice, reentry, mental health, research, gender responsiveness, and gender-specific programming for girls. Most design team members have deep connections in the targeted communities and 100% of our design team have either residential, educational, employment, or faith-based ties. The neighborhoods represent places where members grew up, work, worship, or frequent for social engagement or to support Black and Brown-owned businesses.

As members of the community, our team understands and values input from those we are committed to serving and have over 60 community-based partnerships. Engagement activities include educational events, design sprints, partnering with organizations and educational institutions to host awareness events, facilitating conversations with parents and educators, and hosting one-on-one meetings with community leaders from the target area. 

In 2021, the Charlene & The STEAM Machine™ Summer Camp was launched as a 2-week pilot for 13 girls ages 7-10 and their families residing in target communities on the south side (Englewood, Auburn Gresham, Washington Heights, and Roseland). Participants spent an exciting and engaging summer immersed in STEAM, designed to build and strengthen 21st-century learning which includes the four C’s (critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication). Problem-based learning was integrated with social and emotional learning as pedagogical frameworks to increase exploration, discovery, innovation, and self-confidence. Daily activities included STEAM problem-based instruction, science lab, social activities, field trips, art, music, and play which take girls on a journey of innovation, imagination, and invention as they followed Charlene and her travels in the STEAM Machine. Math, reading, science, and technology skills were incorporated into the curriculum to support knowledge retention and growth from the previous school year as well as preparation for the upcoming year. The camp culminated with an outdoor community performance that showcased their learning adventures in STEAM with Charlene!

Outcomes reported: 

• increased team building and interpersonal skills
• increased efficacy in problem-based learning
• increased confidence in math and science, 
• increased knowledge and exposure to STEAM and professional careers
• increased competencies in SEL

•To address learning loss through instruction aligned with Next Generation Science Standards(NGSS) which includes Engineering Design 

•Close educational and achievement gaps through human-centered instructional strategies grounded in NGSS

•Build social and emotional resilience through gender-responsive approaches

•Provide academic enrichment through summer programming and wrap-around services. 

Module 1: Overview

“Charlene and her DesigNA Genes”
The DesigNA Genes module was created to introduce Charlene and her STEAM Machine to girls in grades K-4 through STEAM Education and SEL. In this module, participants discover DNA and how girls can live out their unique beauty through science and character. Girls learn about the structure and role of DNA through media, live demonstrations, and interactive inquiry-based learning activities. A key activity for the week is testing DNA samples from a childlike crime scene to determine who stole
Charlene’s belt from her DesigNA Genes!

See camp overview document: https://www.dropbox.com/s/5a3j...

This summer, we will have 25 - 30 girls participating in the camp, and a Design Lab which will begin this fall to inform and develop programming for next year.  In summer 2024, we plan to reach 100 girls through the three-week camp and expand each year. 

Additionally, with the development and nationwide reach of Charlene's World Metaverse and Clubs, our solution could reach thousands of girls conservatively. The Mobile Unit has the capacity to serve 50 -100 schools and communities-based organizations annually.

Hope Network of Schools is applying for this challenge to bring the vision of Charlene’s World™ to life. Our team consists of innovative education and STEAM experts passionate about bringing educational and social-emotional solutions to girls.  The design team has reached the point where the support and team need to be supplemented with industry professionals knowledgeable in designing and developing the technologies included in the vision.  

Research, focus groups, and surveys have highlighted the urgent need for STEAM programming for girls.  Exposure to advanced expertise is required to deliver the complex solutions involved in mobile unit technology and the metaverse.  Specifically, those knowledgeable in augmented reality, gamification, and interactive technologies are needed.  Additionally, the team is composed of lifelong learners, and having access to a strong network and resources will allow us to accelerate execution and ensure that programs are sustainable.  

Lastly, the seed funding will advance development and prototyping, thus driving momentum toward full program funding.

Sherida V. Morrison has over 25 years of experience in the philanthropic sector and is a sociologist, nonprofit executive, and social entrepreneur. She is passionate about advocating for gender and racial equity.  Demoiselle 2 Femme (D2F), is a nonprofit organization with a rich history of providing prevention, education, and college access programs to girls on the far south side of Chicago as well as the south suburbs for almost 30 years.  In fulfilling its mission, D2F has served over 7,000 girls, supported over 1,000 girls to become first-generation college graduates, and awarded over $56,000 in academic scholarships. The success of D2F has been featured in several news outlets and has been described by Ebony Magazine as “a girl-serving organization making an impact in Chicago.” Under Sherida’s leadership, D2F founded the Coalition on Urban Girls-Chicago to advocate for the health, safety, and wellness of girls as well as the HOPE Network of Schools and four other social impact organizations. The vision of the Hope Network of Schools is to open the Katherine G. Johnson S.T.E.A.M. (STEM+ARTS) School for Girls as the first, K-8, STEAM school for girls in the country.    

Sherida currently serves as Adjunct Faculty at DePaul University, where she teaches sociological courses in Race & Ethnicity,  Multiculturalism, and the Social Determinants of Health. She also serves as President and Senior Consultant at Sapientia Consulting Group. Sherida is a trained practitioner in Human-Centered Design and Design Thinking, which includes a Master of Science in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern University and LUMA, IDEO, and AHA Center for Health Innovation methods. Highly skilled in nonprofit management, DEIJ, org development, and coalition building, her work expands across the country through community-engaged partnerships, CBPR (Community Based Participatory Research) projects, and consultancy as a designer, trainer, and subject matter expert on gender and racial equity issues. 

Her latest publication, a chapter entitled “Girls and Trauma: Performing Socio-Surgery through a Gender-Responsive Lens,” is featured in the internationally acclaimed book, Violence, Trauma, and Trauma Surgery by Drs. Mark Siegler and Selwyn Rogers from the MacLean Center and the University of Chicago Medicine Trauma Center. Sherida is a Community Advisory Board member at UChicago Medicine’s Trauma Center, where she serves as Chair of the Maternal and Child Health Committee. She is also the former Chair of the Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities (ARCC) at Northwestern University and serves on several community boards.

Sherida has received numerous awards and commendations and she was also inducted into the "Wall of Champions" where her name is engraved at the Champs flagship store on State Street in Chicago.   

The solution team has conducted focus groups with over 100 elementary and high school girls, parents and educators to examine the norms, values and experiences that create a safe, nurturing yet rigorous educational environment for girls. As a result five core values have been established which are woven into the fabric of the program culture: Exploration Instruction, Discovery Instruction, Leadership, Sisterhood and Service.

Our solution provides an innovative, self-sustaining educational model that provides elementary school girls access to cutting-edge 21st Century S.T.E.A.M. education implemented by exceptionally motivated educators, personal development, socio-emotional support, cultural experiences and connections, STEAM mentors and advanced educational and career opportunities that equip them to successfully impact their local and global communities as servant leaders.

Charlene's World™ is designed to have a transformative impact on girls from diverse backgrounds, particularly those in under-resourced communities. By integrating STEAM education, social-emotional learning, mentorship, and the immersive summer camp experience, it empowers girls to develop essential skills, pursue STEAM careers, and build confidence. The mobile unit ensures equitable access to STEAM education, while the clubs and summer camp create supportive environments that foster personal growth, teamwork, and leadership.

Impact Goals - Next Year:

• Summer Camp  
  • Enrich & Lengthen - Expand camp from a 2-week to 3-week program, including prototypes of interactive gaming for future use in the mobile unit.  
  • Reach More Girls - Grow from 30 participants to 100 participants and expand the camp locally and scale nationally.
• Clubs
  • Design Sprint - Conduct human-centered design sprint with 25 - 50 girls, parents, educators, and community leaders.
  • Pilot Launch "Pop Up" Event - Extend an invitation to local elementary schools, churches, community organizations, and current networks.  Host "pop-up" events showcasing Charlene & The STEAM Machine character, mini-labs, and solicit club memberships.  Target Attendance:  100 - 200 girls at each pop-up
• Metaverse 
  • Begin design activities engaging subject matter experts. The Metaverse has limitless potential for national and international reach to hundreds of thousands of girls through the virtual space.  
• Mobile Unit -  
  • Begin design activities engaging subject matter experts.

Impact Goals - Next Five Years:

• Summer Camp 
  • Increase Number of Camp Sessions - Expand camp to 3+ satellite locations to run concurrent sessions and broaden the reach to more girls.
• Clubs  
  • Full Launch - Launch subscription-based membership allowing for nationwide membership.  Target 500 girls over the next 5 years.
• Metaverse 
  • Prototype - Develop and test prototype and provide input for final development.
  • Pilot - Initial pilot with 25-50 girls, increase the population of girls with each iteration 
  • Full Launch - Make Metaverse available nationwide.
• Mobile Unit 
  • Prototype - Develop and test prototype of interactive gameplay and technology.  Provide feedback and input for the final version.
  • Full Launch - Launch Mobile Unit with Chicago-area schools.  Target deployment 2-4 schools per month. 
  • Expansion - Operate three mobile units in Chicago, which include plans for scaling. 

Impact Goals & Key Indicators

1 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

• # of Black and Brown Girls engaged in Programming
• Tracking of Program Participants through high school, college and post-college

2 - Ensure inclusive quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

• # Program Participants, Memberships & Subscriptions (Girls and Boys)
• # Schools and Educational Institutions Reached
• Elementary and High School graduation rates for program participants
• College enrollment and graduation rates for program participants

3- Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

• # of Families Reached with Wraparound Services (Food Services, Outreach, etc.)
• Target Community 

4 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive work and decent work for all

• Comparison of target communities economic statistics pre-program baseline vs. post- program statistics

The theory of change for Charlene and the STEAM Machine outlines the overall goal and the pathways through which the initiative aims to bring about long-term, sustainable change. It provides a roadmap for how the inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes will lead to the desired impact.

In this context, the theory of change for Charlene and the STEAM Machine is as follows:

Goal: To address gaps for black and brown girls in STEM by providing inclusive and empowering educational experiences through Charlene's World Metaverse, the mobile unit, clubs, and the summer camp.

Inputs:

Financial resources for development and implementation.
Skilled team members, educators, and mentors.
Technological infrastructure for the metaverse and the mobile unit.
Partnerships with schools, community organizations, and stakeholders.

Activities:

a) Develop Charlene's World metaverse:

Design engaging and culturally relevant STEAM activities.
Create interactive quests and challenges.
Incorporate diverse and relatable characters.
b) Establish the mobile unit:
Equip the mobile unit with cutting-edge technology and educational resources.
Design engaging and inclusive learning experiences.
Identify target schools and underresourced communities for visits.
c) Form Charlene's World Clubs:
Develop subscription-based membership tiers.
Create a system for earning badges and accessing exclusive content.
Organize special events and workshops for club members.
d) Plan the summer camp:
Develop a comprehensive STEAM curriculum for the camp.
Recruit skilled educators and mentors.
Arrange hands-on workshops, experiments, and collaborative project

Outcomes:

Increased access to STEAM education for black and brown girls.

Improved confidence and self-efficacy in STEM-related skills.

Enhanced interest and engagement in STEAM disciplines.
Strengthened social-emotional skills and resilience.
Expanded networks and mentorship opportunities for girls in STEM.
Increased awareness and support from parents, educators, and communities.

Impact:

Reduced gaps in STEM education for black and brown girls.
Increased representation and diversity in STEAM fields.
Empowered girls with the skills and confidence to pursue STEAM careers.
Cultivated a supportive and inclusive community of future innovators and leaders.

This solution is not tech-based.

Currently, there are 10 professionals on the Solution Team [Design Team] and a 20+ network of educators, community leaders and STEM professionals for ongoing input, support and guidance.

Part-time staff: 10 (Primarily volunteers)

Contractors: 5 (Summer Camp)

Other Workers:  Adler University Interns, College Students and AfterSchool Matters Interns, etc. (Adhoc/Seasonal)

The Design Team has been conducting research, designing curriculum and testing prototypes for 2 years for programming within Charlene's World™.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are part of our core values.  This is demonstrated in our team, our partnerships, our vendors and in the communities we serve.  The personas we have designed our programs for cross varied racial, economic, learning ability, etc.

Our Design Team is currently comprised of African American and Caucasian women crossing Baby Boomer, Gen X and Gen Y age groups from a variety of educational and career backgrounds.  In an effort to further expand the diversity of this group, planning is underway to invite a broader scope of professionals to a series of Design Sprint as we further define our programs.  This will allow us to expand across educational level, gender, race, etc.

We have been successful in engaging and leveraging the ideas of college age students across African American, Asian, LatinX, Causasian and Indian representation through hiring of Adler University Interns.

Our key discussions and partnerships with professionals from local universities such as Chicago State University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Northwestern University and University of Chicago has also supported our desire to engage from within and outside the community.  This expands to our partnerships with local community organizations and vendors.

Our programs are designed to be available to all local elementary schools to ensure access to all communities including schools that serve black and brown students.

Additionally, staff ongoing training includes focus diversity, equity and inclusion.

Our business model provides value to youth, families and schools within the communities we serve.

Key customers and beneficiaries include girls at elementary schools and under-resourced communities as well as their families.  Programming via the mobile unit extends reach to male elementary students as well.  Additionally, the community of educators, community organizations and youth agencies are also beneficiaries.

The services provided include Charlene's World™ Metaverse, Mobile Unit, Summer Camp and Subscription-based Clubs.  These services generate impact through interactive learning experiences, social interaction, mentorship, community outreach and engagement, positive reinforcement and social-emotional support.  The ulimate impact comes from math and science skills development, confidence building, STEAM career exploration and future access to advanced education.

Revenue will be generated from the following sources:

- Individual participation, membership fees and subscriptions

- Grants and funding from governmental agencies, educational foundations and corporate & private sponsorships

- Charlene's World™ branded merchandizing and product lines

- Events, workshops and educational partnership

- Corporate sponsorships and ad-based marketing partnerships

To generate revenue, Charlene's World™ employs a combination of revenue streams. The metaverse offers in-app purchases for virtual items and upgrades, while the mobile unit can be sponsored by organizations or educational institutions. Charlene's World™ Clubs operate on a subscription-based model, offering different membership tiers with exclusive benefits. The 3-week summer camp charges a participation fee to cover operational costs and ensure the camp's sustainability.

The Charlene and The STEAM Machine™ Summer Camp has generated grant and sponsorship funding as well as revenue from registration fees including:

Individual Sponsorships

Summer Camp Registration Fees

COVID Funding

State of Illinois Grant [via Congressman Robin Kelly's Office]

Fundraising Events

Partnerships with Community & Religious Organizations