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Ripken Foundation STEM Center Program

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The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation empowers youth from under-resourced communities—from young learners in early childhood through high school—by providing access to engaging, age-appropriate STEM education.With support from trained teachers and mentors, science, technology, engineering, and math become both compelling and fun. Youth participating in well-implemented, high quality STEM programs reap a range of positive benefits, including

 higher reading and math scores, increased self-esteem, higher school attendance, and decreased dropout rates. The Ripken Foundation’s STEM program is turnkey and can be implemented seamlessly in any community, giving underserved kids in disadvantaged neighborhoods the opportunity to participate.

Each Ripken Foundation STEM Center includes:
    • Educational Products & Technology: We partner with a diverse range of trusted educational vendors—including Sphero, VEX Robotics, Kid Spark Education, Elenco, Intelino, Boxlight, Joylabz, Squishy Circuits, and Terrapin—to provide high-quality STEM tools such as programmable robots, engineering kits, drones, tablets, and 3D printers that support hands-on learning in robotics, coding, and digital literacy.
    • Storage: Each STEM center package includes practical storage solutions—such as collapsible carts and workbenches—to keep materials accessible, mobile, and easy to manage. 
    • Resources: The Ripken Foundation provides STEM lesson plans aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), designed to help teachers and adult mentors introduce core STEM concepts to youth. These lessons are delivered through our Learning Management System (LMS) and are tailored to accompany Ripken Foundation STEM Center products, offering clear guidance on how to effectively use the materials provided. The LMS can be accessed via this link.
    • Training by the Ripken Foundation STEM program staff and STEM professional consultants will provide ongoing program and technical support for all STEM Center partners.
    • STEM Challenge, a competition hosted by Ripken Foundation which uses real-world problems to encourage students to apply STEM skills and knowledge to develop innovative solutions. Teams from our STEM Centers across the country present their solutions to a panel of judges. Partners of the Ripken STEM program are also offered virtual STEM activities throughout the year to engage youth and adult mentors in their community.

The STEM products listed below cater to a large range of grade and skill levels and are incorporated into each STEM Center program site:  

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Ozobot

An Ozobot is a small and smart line following robot. The Ozobot uses precise movement and sensors to follow and react to colors on a page or screen. This simple form of communication and programming allow kids of all ages to create and send Ozobot through an endless array of mazes, maps, and racetracks. 

Grades 1 and up. 

Snap Circuits

Snap Circuits Âź teaches basic engineering, electronics, and circuitry concepts by using pre-fabricated pieces to create over 100 different circuits.

Grades 2 and up.

Sphero BOLT

Sphero BOLT is an app-enabled robotic ball that provides endless opportunities to be creative and have fun while learning. Kids learn to code by drawing, using Scratch blocks, or writing JavaScript text with the Sphero Edu app. 

Grades 3 and up.Â