Maryville Center for Access and Achievement

09/08/2026

researchEd is coming to St. Louis, September 26th at Maplewood Richmond Heights High School. 👀Link to register in comments!

The goal of researchED is to bridge the gap between research and practice in education. Researchers, teachers, and policy makers come together for a day of information-sharing and myth-busting.

They aim to to bring together as many parties affected by educational research – e.g. teachers, academics, researchers, policy makers, teacher-trainers – in order to establish healthy relationships where field-specific expertise is pooled usefully.

At a researchED event, there are rounds of sessions. Each session is 40 minutes long. Attendees build their own day using the timetable and program that is released a couple of weeks before the day of the event.

researchED events have been hosted around world including in London, Amsterdam, Denver, New York, Philadelphia, Cape Town, Chile, Dubai, Geneva, Melbourne, Toronto and many more!

08/31/2026

Secure Technology for your Classroom with the Innovative Technology Education Fund!

ITEF’s Catapult Grant helps schools launch innovative technology projects that expand learning opportunities and prepare students for the future. Get ready to bring your big idea to life!

👇Link in comments to learn more👇

07/23/2026

From dissecting owl pellets to creating arcade video games with Lego EV3 sets to exploring nature, students have been very busy this week during our Science and Robotics program!

07/22/2026

07/22/2026

A special thanks to the Force Green Robotics Team 10265 for visiting our Teen Tech program today. 

Force Green Robotics is a First Tech Challenge (FTC) Team from Rockwood School District. They demonstrated their competition robot and talked about how the requirements for the robot design and challenge change every year. The Maryville students learned how FTC uses 3D printers to design and build most of their robot components. The TT students learned how to control the robots using handheld consoles and coding.

07/16/2026

We wanted to give a very special thank you to the GLUONS Robotics team from Marquette High School in the Rockwood School District. They visited our program today to share information about designing and building robots, their competition schedule, and even demonstrating their robot in action!

05/01/2026

Q. How do you incorporate STEM into your classroom?
✍In my classes, students don’t just learn concepts—they design products, code projects, and build business ideas from the ground up. For example, students might use computer science skills to build a website for the business ideas of their peers.


Q. Can you share one STEM activity or project that made a meaningful impact on your students?
✍ One of the most meaningful projects in my classroom has been a cross-curricular restaurant project combined with a BBC micro:bit and Global Goals collaboration. Students were challenged to create their own restaurant concept while also addressing a real-world issue connected to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
In the entrepreneurship portion, students developed their restaurant brand. At the same time, they incorporated computer science by using micro:bits to design interactive or functional elements.
What made this impactful was how it pushed students to think beyond just creating a business. They had to consider how their ideas could make a positive difference in the world.

Q. How have you seen STEM influence student engagement or confidence?
✍ Integrating STEM has had a noticeable impact on student engagement and confidence. When students are creating something meaningful they are more motivated to stay engaged and push through challenges.
I’ve seen students who may not typically excel in traditional settings gain confidence when they discover their strengths. Because the work is hands-on and relevant, students begin to see themselves as capable creators and innovators.

Q. What advice would you give to educators who want to bring more STEM into their classrooms?
✍ Start with real-world, meaningful projects. When students are solving problems and building something that matters, engagement naturally follows.
Take it beyond your classroom—display student work, involve the whole school in voting or showcases, and add friendly competition like pitch days or “Shark Tank”-style events. Pair that with a feedback cycle so students can refine and improve their ideas.