The Learning Undefeated Newsroom

In a typical school year, Maryland-based nonprofit Learning Undefeated serves over 50,000 K-12 students with immersive STEM learning onboard its fleet of mobile laboratories: tricked out trucks, shipping containers and busses that bring life-changing STEM experiences right to the school parking lot. But when the organization had to park its mobile labs due to COVID-19, Learning Undefeated quickly pivoted to developing hands-on digital experiences that would keep students and teachers connected with STEM subjects while learning at home.

“When high school women get to make that connection with college women, they get to see a little snippet of themselves in the future,” said Gabriella Centeno, a rising sophomore majoring in biology at Montgomery College, who is serving as a mentor in the Emerging Leaders in Biotechnology program. “That not only inspires them, but it also empowers them to do the best that they can, take as many opportunities as they want, and enjoy their full right of whatever their self-discovery is.

A local nonprofit is offering free STEM summer camp to Baltimore City public school students. The Young Science Explorers program is a two week, intensive camp ideal for rising middle school students (grades 6-8), that engages students with STEM topics onboard Learning Undefeated’s immersive mobile laboratories. The camp also features hands-on laboratory investigations in the classroom plus high-energy science demonstrations.

The interactive Young Science Explorers Program engages young learners with high-energy science demonstrations, immersive learning environments and hands-on investigations. Ideal for rising middle school students (sixth to eighth grades), students will engage with STEM topics in Learning Undefeated’s immersive mobile laboratory experiences, as well as complete hands-on laboratory investigations in the classroom.

Students learn a little about each of the planets before they land on planet Mars. Along they also learn to solve problems that astronauts could face on a journey into space. “It was more really about problem solving and using the strategies in the tech and science design process,” teacher Katheryn Spivey, the school’s science and technology content specialist, said. “They’re learning, reminding themselves of the science concepts like what do you need to survive ,like oxygen and water, and they talked about chemistry so it actually ties into all of the middle school science program.”