STEAM Programs and Achievements
iLearn Schools offers hands-on STEAM programs for students in grades K–12 across New Jersey and the Bronx, from robotics and coding to Science Olympiad, math contests, and speech and debate.
15
STEAM programs, competitions, and courses
240
students in the iStellar program
18
schools hosting STEAM Parent Nights
750
participants at our Make Things festival
Success Stories
In 2025–26, students in our STEAM programs earned honors at local, state, national, and international competitions. A few highlights from across our districts:
Panther Gears, Passaic Middle, at the Menlo Park Robotics Championship
Bergen-Robo, Bergen Middle, at a FIRST LEGO League competition
Paterson Middle at the Genius Olympiad, for “The Reading Tree”
Hudson ASCS at the Forensics State Championship
30+ students, out of 80,000 Math Kangaroo participants
Our Bronx campuses joined the program for the first time
Programs
Our STEAM programs include competitions, courses, and hands-on events for students at every grade level.
Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad is a competitive event where elementary, middle, and high school students test their scientific knowledge and engineering skills through STEM-related challenges. Participants prepare and compete across various science and technology-based tasks to demonstrate academic excellence. The Elementary Science Olympiad offers students valuable opportunities for hands-on learning across multiple scientific disciplines.
Robotics FLL Scrimmage Contest
iLearn Schools hosts a FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Scrimmage event. The competition is designed for students to showcase their robotics skills while competing in engineering missions and challenges. This event emphasizes collaboration, problem-solving, technical expertise, innovation, and core robotics values.
iStellar Program
The iStellar Program engages 240 students across diverse STEM fields including Math, Coding, Science Olympiad, Robotics, ELA, Speech and Debate, Virtual Reality, and STEM Lab Technician skills. The initiative provides an enriching, comprehensive educational experience tailored to expand student horizons. Its primary goal is to help participants develop practical abilities, critical problem-solving skills, and effective teamwork.
STEAM Parent Nights
STEAM Parent Nights are interactive events hosted across K–12 schools to foster family engagement in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. These sessions create opportunities for parents and children to collaborate on hands-on challenges and deepen family involvement in STEM education. A total of 18 schools are currently registered to host these community-building events.
Math Kangaroo
iLearn Schools hosts Math Kangaroo, an international mathematics competition that allows students to showcase their skills on a global platform. The event fosters a love for mathematics by introducing challenging, creative problems. Through these competitions, students are encouraged to think critically and push their academic boundaries.
CrunchLabs STEM Curriculum
The new CrunchLabs STEM program provides students with engaging, hands-on engineering and problem-solving experiences. Through interactive projects, students strengthen their understanding of core concepts by building, testing, and creating. The curriculum encourages practical scientific thinking while developing creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and perseverance.
STEM Entrepreneurship Course
This newly launched high school course equips students with essential STEM skills alongside practical entrepreneurial know-how. Through real-life projects, participants discover how to apply technical knowledge in creative, business-minded ways. The curriculum actively prepares students for future career pathways in technology, business, and engineering.
Science Fair Projects
Students in grades 6 through 12 are eligible to conduct in-depth scientific research and develop competitive Science Fair projects. This platform encourages independent scientific inquiry, design, and innovation across multiple disciplines. Additionally, qualifying project submissions may lead to student stipends.
Math Contests
iLearn Schools participates in and hosts more than three competitive math contests to sharpen students’ analytical and problem-solving abilities. Events like the iDream Math Contest Team provide a dedicated platform for students to challenge themselves academically. These competitions aim to foster a deeper understanding of mathematical principles and competitive achievement.
Make Things Happen
The Make Things Happen program connects students and makers through engaging, practical STEM activities that stimulate creativity and innovation. Participants work on applied projects that deepen their functional understanding of engineering, technology, and science. This initiative emphasizes experiential learning by offering opportunities to solve real-world challenges.
ELA, Speech & Debate
This program strengthens communication, public speaking, writing, and argumentation skills through dedicated enrichment and academic tournaments. Essay, art, and poetry contests are integrated directly alongside Speech and Debate within the broader STEAM curriculum. The goal is to empower students to think critically and confidently represent their schools in local, state, and national competitions.
Advanced Computer Science & Virtual Reality
This offering introduces students to advanced computing concepts through virtual reality, immersive technologies, programming, and interactive digital experiences. The curriculum prepares students for emerging technical fields by developing computational thinking and coding proficiencies. It also nurtures innovation and digital design skills necessary for future tech environments.
STEM Lab Technician – Advanced AP Preparation
This course provides advanced hands-on laboratory experiences centered on scientific investigation, controlled experimentation, and data analysis. Students master essential technical protocols and rigorous scientific methods within real lab environments. The program builds the research skills required to support students in advanced coursework and AP-level preparation.
Drone Soccer Academy
The Drone Soccer Academy combines drone aviation technology, coding, engineering, and competitive team gameplay. Students develop essential capabilities in flight mechanics, programming, engineering design, and collaborative problem-solving. This engaging pathway introduces emerging aerospace technologies while preparing participants for structured competitive leagues.
Chess Tournament
This program provides students with opportunities to build strategic thinking, logic, and concentration through structured chess instruction. Participants hone their problem-solving and decision-making abilities through regular tactical practice and match play. The curriculum encourages students to challenge their analytical minds and represent their schools in regional and broader chess tournaments.