STEM in After-School Programs

Expanding Learning Beyond the Classroom

After-school programs provide valuable opportunities for students to engage with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) in a hands-on, exploratory environment.

By incorporating STEM into these programs, educators can foster curiosity, improve problem-solving skills, and prepare students for future careers in STEM fields.

These informal learning settings allow students to apply concepts in creative ways, encouraging collaboration and innovation.

In this page, you can find:

→ Three Key Benefits

→ Success Stories

→ Grant Opportunities

→ Meet the Account Manager

Why Implement STEM?

Three Key Benefits of Implementing STEM in After-School Programs

There are many reasons to implement STEM education in after-school programs but we've highlighted three primary reasons below including enhancing hands-on learning and creativity, providing equitable access to STEM opportunities, as well as encouraging collaboration and social development.

Reasons to Implement STEM in After-School Programs

Enhancing Hands-On Learning and Creativity

What we know:

  • STEM activities in after-school programs can  provide experiential, iterative, and project-based learning that deepens understanding.
  • Engaging in robotics, coding, and engineering challenges encourages problem-solving and critical thinking.
  • Research from the Afterschool Alliance shows that these programs teach and strengthen 21st century skills such as teamwork and communication.

Providing Equitable Access to STEM Opportunities

What we know:

  • After-school STEM programs bridge the gap for the underrpresented students, ensuring access to hands-on STEM education.
  • These programs serve as a gateway to STEM careers by exposing students to real-world applications.
  • According to a study by Duke University, students who have a higher dose of STEM experiences through things like after-school programs consistently performed better than those who had fewer opportunities.

Encouraging Collaboration and Social Development

What we know:

  • Team-based STEM challenges enhance communication and teamwork skills.
  • Students gain confidence in problem-solving through trial and error in a low-stakes environment.
  • According to research from the International Journal of STEM Education, youth who participated in STEM programs reported an increase in 21st Century skills including collaboration, critical thinking, and more.
Success Stories

STEM in After-School Programs with Strawbees

Strawbees has had a significant impact on STEM in after-school programs. Our hands-on, innovative approach to teaching STEM empowers students to build, create, and collaborate—skills that are essential for their future success.

After-School All-Stars

"My target became finding curriculum that would span all different age groups, even if they were the same room. They should be getting the same type of lesson, even if it's on several different levels."

Hear from Vonna Morgan, Program Manager of After-School All-Stars, a non-profit free and comprehensive program where she is responsible for ensuring it has a solid STEM curriculum throughout K-12 grade levels.

Read Vonna's Story
Vonna Morgan Story

What Educators Say

Here’s what teachers and educators are saying about their experiences:

“Strawbees not only holds up but it can be in the same rooms as some of our other curriculum. It yields to other activities and mentorship."
Vonna Morgan Profile Picture
Vonna Morgan

Program Manager, After-School All-Stars

“Strawbees is very hands-on so it doesn't alienate kids regardless of their learning ability. Strawbees gives kids different ways to figure out how to solve a problem."
Annababette Diemecke
Andrew Harvey

Pre-K-12 Teacher, Dublin City Schools

"(Strawbees) has versatility because it can be used in so many things. We have a summer STEM camp, Gifted and Talented, in a library, a regular classroom. I don't think it's pigeonholed to one level."
Holly Landez
Holly Landez

Director of Digital Learning

Pocketful of Ideas

After-school programs can benefit from structured lessons from Strawbees Classroom, free building activities as well as building challenges through the Pocketful of Ideas cards.

Especially for programs which have part-time staff that may not have the time to search for specific lessons, having an easy way to challenge students to build can help.

Shop Pocketful of Ideas
Strawbees_pocketful of idea (1)
Grant opportunities

After-School STEM Grants

Finding funding for STEM and STEAM education can be challenging, but there are a range of grants and funding sources to support hands-on learning initiatives for after-school programs wanting to implement STEM lessons.

Federal Grants for After-School Programs

The federal government can offer funding to support STEM initiatives in after-school programs, helping cover curriculum development, equipment, and professional training.

Some useful resources include:

Corporate Grants for After-School Programs

Corporations across the country fund after-school STEM initiatives to support innovation, hands-on learning, and career readiness.

Examples of national-level grants include:

How We Can Help with Grant Applications

If you're looking for funding to bring hands-on STEAM learning to your students, we do have a grant writing webinar you can watch to help support you.

Learn more →

Strawbees in After-School Programs

Next Steps

Integrating STEM into after-school programs provides students with valuable opportunities to explore, create, and innovate beyond the traditional classroom.

These programs help build confidence, teamwork, and a passion for STEM that can lead to future academic and career success.

At Strawbees, we offer dynamic STEM learning tools that empower after-school educators to create engaging, hands-on experiences. Explore how our solutions can enhance your after-school program today!

Beniamin Bundo Beniamin
Beniamin Bundo
Partnership Developer