STEM Centers Provide Students Hands-On Opportunities to Build Skills and Career Readiness

May 12th, 2026

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education in Howard County is getting a boost.

Thanks to a donation from The Kahlert Foundation, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation is installing and helping to support the use of STEM centers in elementary and middle schools across the county.

Composed of classroom furniture and a wide range of STEM-related materials (i.e. programmable robots, snap circuits, 3-D printers, and coding games) that are reviewed and tested by Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation staff, the centers are designed with two key purposes in mind, explains Kelley Kelly, vice president of STEM at the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation.

“The STEM centers create opportunities for exposure and enable students to develop skills and knowledge relevant to careers in STEM and beyond,” she says.

The centers also include lessons and professional development to assist teachers in putting the materials they receive to use.

“Many of us at the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation are former educators, so we understand that teachers have a lot on their plates. That is why we aren’t just handing them a bunch of materials; we’re giving them ideas about how they can use those materials and helping them find ways to embed them within the context of their own curriculum,” Kelly says.

Oakland Mills Middle School (OMMS) was among the first HCPSS schools to receive a STEM center.

“The addition of the STEM Center has been a significant asset to the learning environment here at Oakland Mills Middle,” says OMMS technology teacher Philip Wright. “For students, it has helped bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, transforming the learning experience from passive observation into active participation and creation.”

Hollifield Station Elementary School technology teacher David Floyd agrees.

“The STEM center is a great asset to our school. The different tools that have been provided can be used by teachers in their classrooms or allow extensions to the curriculum,” he says.

Plus, Floyd says his students have been excited to explore and experiment with the STEM center materials.

To date, STEM centers have been fully installed in 26 HCPSS elementary and 15 middle schools. Work is currently underway to establish centers in the remaining elementary and middle schools in the county.