Ride Forward Mentorship Program

The problem we are addressing with the Ride Forward Mentorship program is multifaceted and has significant implications both locally and globally. At a global level, there is a staggering disparity in access to quality STEM education, with underserved and marginalized communities disproportionately affected. 

According to UNESCO, an estimated 250 million children worldwide are not in school, and many of those who do attend lack access to adequate learning materials and resources. Furthermore, there is a significant shortage of STEM professionals globally, exacerbating the problem of equitable access to STEM education and careers. In the communities we are working in, such as urban areas with high rates of poverty and limited educational resources, the scale of the problem is pronounced. In these communities, students often face barriers such as inadequate infrastructure, limited exposure to STEM opportunities, and a lack of inclusive mentorship and support networks. 

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, disparities in STEM achievement persist among students from low-income families and minority backgrounds, contributing to the cycle of inequality and limiting opportunities for upward mobility. Several factors contribute to the problem, including limited access to quality education, lack of inclusive design, shortage of mentors and role models, and socioeconomic barriers. 

The Ride Forward Mentorship program addresses these factors by providing inclusive, action sports-integrated STEM mentorship experiences that empower students from diverse backgrounds. By leveraging the universal appeal of action sports and integrating STEM learning into engaging and accessible activities, we aim to break down barriers and create pathways for underserved students to thrive in STEM fields. 

Through mentorship, hands-on learning experiences, and access to resources and support networks, we seek to level the playing field and ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed in the rapidly evolving world of technology and innovation.

Our solution, the Ride Forward Mentorship program, is an innovative initiative that combines action sports with STEM education and mentorship to empower underserved youth. It provides students with hands-on learning experiences in STEM subjects such as science, technology, engineering, and math, while also incorporating activities like skateboarding or surfing to make learning fun and engaging. Through the program, students are paired with mentors who guide them through educational activities, help them develop essential skills, and inspire them to pursue STEM careers. The program utilizes technology platforms to facilitate virtual mentorship sessions, access educational resources, and track student progress. By integrating action sports with STEM learning and mentorship, Ride Forward equips students with the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the 21st-century workforce.

The Ride Forward Mentorship program, serves underserved youth, particularly those from low-income communities and marginalized backgrounds. These students often face barriers to accessing quality STEM education and mentorship opportunities, limiting their potential for academic and career success. Many of them lack exposure to STEM fields and role models, and they may experience disengagement or lack of confidence in pursuing STEM-related paths.

The target population includes students who are currently underserved in STEM education, often due to socioeconomic factors, limited access to resources, or inadequate support systems. These students may come from urban areas with high rates of poverty, where educational opportunities are scarce, or from minority communities where disparities in access to STEM programs persist.

Ride Forward Mentorship aims to directly and meaningfully improve the lives of these students by providing them with access to high-quality STEM education and mentorship experiences. Through the program, students receive hands-on learning opportunities in STEM subjects, coupled with engaging activities such as skateboarding or surfing. By integrating action sports with STEM education, Ride Forward creates a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that appeals to diverse interests and learning styles.

Additionally, the mentorship component of the program pairs students with supportive mentors who guide them through their educational journey, offer encouragement and advice, and serve as positive role models. This personalized support helps students build confidence, develop essential skills, and explore future career paths in STEM fields.

The Ride Forward Mentorship addresses the needs of underserved youth by providing them with access to equitable and inclusive STEM education opportunities, fostering their academic growth, and empowering them to pursue fulfilling and successful futures. Through the program, students gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to thrive in the 21st-century workforce and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

Our team at Surf Skate Science is uniquely positioned to design and deliver the Ride Forward Mentorship program to the target population of underserved youth. As founders Uli and Toni, we have personal experiences and insights that closely align with the communities we serve. Uli's own struggles with traditional classroom learning and subsequent discovery of hands-on, experiential education through action sports resonate deeply with many students who face similar challenges. Toni's background in science education and her journey as a parent advocating for her children's diverse learning needs further inform our approach to designing inclusive and effective educational experiences.

Our team's proximity to the communities we serve is evident in our deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by underserved youth, including those related to socioeconomic barriers, learning differences, and lack of access to quality educational opportunities. Through our years of experience working at skateparks and engaging with youth from diverse backgrounds, we have built trust and rapport within these communities, allowing us to meaningfully engage with students and understand their needs and perspectives.

The design and implementation of the Ride Forward Mentorship program are guided by input, ideas, and agendas from the communities we serve. Our approach is rooted in the belief that learning should be accessible, engaging, and relevant to students' lives. By turning local beach breaks and skate parks into classrooms, we create a learning environment that feels familiar and welcoming to students, making STEM education more accessible and relatable. Additionally, our curriculum is developed in collaboration with students, mentors, and community stakeholders, ensuring that it reflects the interests, cultural backgrounds, and learning styles of the target population.

Through our commitment to spreading our success and making our curriculum virtual and sharable, we aim to inspire and empower educators and students worldwide. By leveraging technology and innovative teaching methods, we seek to expand access to hands-on, experiential STEM education and mentorship opportunities, ultimately transforming the lives of underserved youth and equipping them with the skills and confidence to succeed in the 21st-century workforce.

At Surf Skate Science, we have built and tested a comprehensive program that integrates action sports with STEM education and mentorship, tailored to the needs of underserved youth in South Florida communities. Through our established solution, we have successfully served 2500 students each year, providing them with hands-on learning experiences, mentorship opportunities, and exposure to STEM concepts in engaging and accessible ways.

Our program design has been carefully crafted and refined based on years of experience and feedback from students, mentors, educators, and community stakeholders. We have developed a consistent approach to delivering our curriculum, which includes turning local beach breaks and skate parks into classrooms, incorporating action sports into STEM learning activities, and pairing students with supportive mentors who guide them through their educational journey.

By focusing on hands-on, experiential learning and leveraging the universal appeal of action sports, we have created a program that resonates with students from diverse backgrounds and learning styles. Our curriculum covers a wide range of STEM topics, from physics and marine biology to engineering and architecture, allowing students to explore their interests and discover their potential in STEM fields.

Through our established set of donors and revenue streams, we have been able to sustain and expand our program, reaching more students and communities each year. Our track record of success in serving 2500 South Florida students annually demonstrates the impact and scalability of our solution, paving the way for further growth and expansion into multiple communities or countries in the future.

We are applying to Solve because we believe in the power of collaboration and partnership to amplify the impact of our Surf Skate Science Mentorship program. While we have made significant strides in serving underserved youth in South Florida communities, we recognize that there are still barriers that limit our ability to reach our full potential and expand our impact.

Specifically, we hope that Solve can help us overcome several barriers, including financial constraints, technical challenges in scaling our program, legal considerations related to expansion into new communities or countries, and cultural barriers that may impact the adoption of our solution in different cultural contexts. Additionally, we believe that Solve's network of partners and mentors can provide valuable expertise, resources, and support to help us address these barriers and accelerate the growth and sustainability of our program.

By participating in Solve, we seek to leverage the platform's connections and resources to access new funding opportunities, technical assistance, legal guidance, and cultural insights that will enable us to scale our program effectively and reach more underserved youth worldwide. We are committed to building meaningful partnerships and collaborating with like-minded organizations and individuals to advance our mission of empowering underserved youth through hands-on, action sports-integrated STEM education and mentorship.

Our Ride Forward Mentorship program stands at the forefront of innovation in STEM education and mentorship by seamlessly integrating action sports with academic learning. Unlike traditional approaches, Ride Forward transforms local beach breaks and skate parks into vibrant classrooms, where students engage in hands-on, experiential learning experiences that bring STEM concepts to life. By leveraging the universal appeal of action sports, Ride Forward captures students' interests and passions, making learning fun, relevant, and accessible to all. 

Plus, the program's inclusive design ensures that students of all backgrounds and abilities feel welcome and supported, fostering a culture of diversity and belonging in STEM education. Central to Ride Forward's success is its mentorship component, where students are paired with supportive mentors who guide them through their educational journey, offering encouragement, advice, and inspiration along the way. This personalized mentorship approach empowers students to build confidence, develop essential skills, and pursue their academic and career goals with resilience and determination. 

With scalability and impact at its core, Ride Forward has the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts in the STEM education landscape by expanding access to high-quality education and mentorship opportunities for underserved youth worldwide. As the program continues to grow and evolve, it has the power to transform the market and create a more equitable and inclusive future for generations to come.

At Surf Skate Science, we believe that our unique approach to integrating action sports with STEM education and mentorship will have a significant impact on the problem of educational inequity and disengagement among underserved youth. By providing hands-on, experiential learning experiences in familiar and engaging settings such as local beach breaks and skate parks, we aim to capture students' interests and passions, making STEM education more accessible and relevant to their lives. 

Through our Ride Forward mentorship program, we offer personalized support and guidance to students, empowering them to build confidence, develop essential skills, and pursue their academic and career goals with resilience and determination. We expect that these activities will lead to immediate outputs such as increased student engagement, improved academic performance, and enhanced social-emotional skills. In the longer term, we anticipate that our program will yield outcomes such as higher graduation rates, increased enrollment in STEM fields, and greater career readiness among participants. 

This theory of change is supported by evidence from our pilot programs, which have shown promising results in terms of student outcomes and satisfaction. Additionally, research on experiential learning, mentorship, and the benefits of action sports in education provides further support for the effectiveness of our approach. We believe that Ride Forward has the potential to positively impact the lives of underserved youth by equipping them with the skills, confidence, and opportunities they need to succeed in school, careers, and life.

Our impact goals for the Ride Forward Mentorship program revolve around empowering underserved youth to excel in STEM education and careers while fostering inclusivity and belonging. 

We aim to increase student engagement in STEM learning and enhance academic performance, measured through attendance rates, participation levels, and academic assessments. Additionally, we seek to bolster social-emotional skills like resilience and teamwork, assessing progress through pre- and post-program surveys on self-confidence and communication. 

Our ultimate goal is to inspire students to pursue further education and careers in STEM fields, tracked by enrollment in STEM-related courses or careers post-graduation. We are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM by reaching underserved communities and ensuring representation from underrepresented groups. 

To measure progress, we collect both quantitative and qualitative data via surveys, interviews, and observations, aligning our goals with relevant UN Sustainable Development Goal indicators to contribute to broader global objectives for social and educational development.

Our solution, Ride Forward Mentorship program, harnesses the power of experiential learning and mentorship to ignite students' passion for STEM education and action sports. While we may not utilize cutting-edge technology in the traditional sense, our approach integrates modern and ancestral knowledge systems to create meaningful impact. We leverage the technology of human connection, using personalized mentorship to guide students through their educational journey. 

Our curriculum incorporates centuries-old principles of hands-on learning, fostering creativity and innovation in a way that transcends conventional classroom settings. Additionally, we embrace the technology of nature itself, immersing students in the dynamic environments of local beach breaks and skate parks to explore scientific concepts firsthand. By blending traditional wisdom with contemporary educational practices, Ride Forward empowers students to thrive in both their academic pursuits and their broader communities.

2 Full-Time and 15 contractors

Since 2018

At Surf Skate Science, we are deeply committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within our team and creating a welcoming environment for all team members. Our leadership team reflects the diversity of the communities we serve, with members from various racial and ethnic backgrounds, genders, and abilities. We recognize the importance of diversity in driving innovation and ensuring that our solutions are truly representative of the populations we aim to support.

To further promote diversity and minimize barriers to opportunity for staff, we have implemented several initiatives and practices. Firstly, we prioritize equitable hiring practices, actively seeking candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and providing equal opportunities for advancement and professional development. Additionally, we offer flexible work arrangements and accommodations to support individuals with learning challenges or disabilities, ensuring that all team members can thrive in their roles.

Our team's goals for becoming more diverse, equitable, and inclusive are multi-faceted. We aim to continue diversifying our staff at all levels of the organization, including leadership positions, to reflect the rich tapestry of our communities. We are committed to creating a culture of belonging where every team member feels valued, respected, and supported in their contributions. To achieve these goals, we regularly assess our practices and policies, seeking input from team members and external experts to identify areas for improvement.

We have implemented diversity and inclusion training for all staff members to raise awareness of unconscious biases and promote cultural competence. Additionally, we actively seek feedback from team members on their experiences and suggestions.

At Surf Skate Science, our business model revolves around providing value to underserved youth through our Ride Forward program. Our key customers and beneficiaries are students from marginalized communities, including those facing economic hardship, learning challenges, or limited access to STEM education opportunities. We offer a comprehensive program that combines hands-on STEM learning experiences with mentorship from professionals in the field, as well as access to action sports activities such as surfing and skateboarding.

Through Ride Forward, students receive personalized support and guidance to develop essential skills in STEM, social-emotional competencies, and problem-solving abilities. They gain real-world exposure to STEM concepts and careers, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for these fields. Additionally, our program empowers students to explore their passions and interests in a supportive and inclusive environment, building confidence and self-efficacy.

We provide these products and services through a combination of in-person and virtual delivery methods, leveraging partnerships with local schools, community organizations, and STEM professionals. Our program curriculum is designed to be flexible and adaptable to the needs of each community, ensuring relevance and engagement for all participants.

Surf Skate Science serves not only traditionally educated students but also non-traditionally educated students who choose schooling outside the public and private sectors. Many opt for alternative education due to challenges in the traditional classroom, such as bullying, health issues, or other factors impacting their ability to thrive in traditional educational settings.

Our students want and need our program because it offers them opportunities for personal and academic growth that may not be available to them otherwise. Many of our participants come from backgrounds where access to STEM education and mentorship is limited, and our program fills that gap by providing hands-on learning experiences and exposure to diverse STEM careers. Additionally, our focus on inclusivity and diversity ensures that all students feel welcome and supported, regardless of their background or educational path.

In terms of revenue, Surf Skate Science operates as a nonprofit organization and relies on a combination of grants, donations, and partnerships to sustain our operations. Program revenue has been a significant source of income, particularly with the availability of School Choice Funding in our area. We seek funding from philanthropic organizations, government agencies, corporate sponsors, and individual donors who share our vision and values. Our goal is to secure sustainable funding streams to support the continued growth and expansion of Ride Forward, ensuring that we can reach and impact more underserved youth in communities around the world.

Our plan for financial sustainability revolves around a combination of revenue streams and strategic partnerships. We primarily fund our programs through program revenue generated by offering our Ride Forward internship and mentorship programs to students and schools. Additionally, we seek investments from companies and organizations that align with our mission and recognize the value of our internship programs in promoting STEM education and inclusivity.

Our revenue model is designed to cover our operational expenses while also allowing for program expansion and impact growth. We aim to diversify our funding sources to mitigate risks and ensure long-term sustainability. This includes pursuing sustained donations and grants from philanthropic organizations, as well as exploring opportunities for service contracts with governments or educational institutions.

To date, our financial sustainability plan has shown promising results. We have successfully generated revenue through program fees, allowing us to cover our operating costs and invest in program enhancements. Additionally, we have secured grants from various foundations and government agencies to support specific initiatives and pilot programs. These funds have enabled us to reach more students and communities with our STEM education programs, demonstrating the effectiveness of our revenue model in generating impact.

We have also established partnerships with companies and organizations that provide financial support and in-kind contributions to our programs. These partnerships not only contribute to our financial sustainability but also enhance the quality and reach of our initiatives. By leveraging these diverse revenue streams and strategic collaborations, we are confident in our ability to achieve long-term financial sustainability while continuing to make a meaningful difference in the lives of underserved youth through STEM education and mentorship.