Science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) programs have been sweeping the nation and its classrooms, but some teachers are finding that not all students embrace the idea. They have quickly discovered that just because you built it – robots in this case – doesn’t mean students will come. Haitian-American Neirda Thompson-Pemberton founded FUNducation as a way to better inspire students to dive into the STEAM world, help bridge the digital literacy gap, and double down on the “FUN” aspect of her work. Thompson-Pemberton utilizes what she dubs as “educational espionage,” a strategy in which an activity becomes so much fun and engaging that a student doesn’t even realize that they’re learning something. She’s so far utilized hands-on experiences like flying drones, building robots, and puzzles to expose children to mathematics, engineering, and even cybersecurity. FUNducation just became one of the first organizations in the country to get their hands on HADO, an augmented reality game that acts like a virtual kind of dodgeball. FUNducation’s Esports Edu program aims to also engage students in the skills and careers they will find in the multi-billion-dollar industry of video games and esports. They plan to teach children the ins and outs of design, video creation, event planning, online streaming, and even esports law and team management.

FUNducation recently received a $120,000 grant from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation to expand its work, the largest gift the organization has received to date. The funds will be used to hire more staff and help build more community partnerships. FUNducation plans to team up with Sarasota County Schools and also create a pipeline with local colleges who already have esports programs.

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