STEM in Reach
How the STEM Shoppe Is Bringing Hands-On Learning to Thousands of Students
Across Northeast Oklahoma, students are discovering that STEM isn’t just something you read about—it’s something you do. Thanks to TRSA’s STEM Shoppe, educators of all kinds—classroom teachers, afterschool providers, community mentors, and homeschool families—can borrow high-quality STEM kits at no cost, giving students experiences they wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
The STEM Shoppe contains more than 50 educator-curated kits, from robotics and aerospace to life science and engineering. Most classroom materials are used for a couple of lessons each year, then spend the rest of the time on a shelf collecting dust. STEM Shoppe kits solve that problem by rotating to new classrooms each week.
Big Impact, Extraordinary Return
Over the last three years, the STEM Shoppe has provided an average of:
- 9,137 hands-on STEM experiences each year
- $248,625 in annual value to schools and youth programs
- Just $0.65 per student experience to operate
Among the most popular items are robotics kits—Bee-Bots, KUBO, and especially Ozobots. A full Ozobot kit costs $3,250, yet through the STEM Shoppe’s rotating model, this one kit has saved schools and program providers more than $42,000 in a single year.
For new teachers or those unsure about investing in expensive tools, the STEM Shoppe acts as a test-drive and a confidence boost. For experienced educators, it’s a way to expand possibilities without stretching funds.
Spotlight: Boevers Elementary Tech Lab
At Boevers Elementary, the STEM Shoppe removed a cost barrier that had been holding students back.
As students began aging out of the 2nd–3rd grade STEM Squad, afterschool leaders Mindi Bisdee and Lisa Lutke wanted to create a program that those students could continue to grow into. But they didn’t have the budget to purchase the hands-on materials that kind of next-step experience would require. After learning about the STEM Shoppe during TRSA’s summer PD, they reimagined the entire club—powered by free materials they could borrow.
This semester, their club meets weekly, cycling through robotics, engineering, life sciences, and more—borrowing different kits based on what excites the students most.
“We wanted to give them a variety of experiences,” Bisdee shared. “The kits helped us build a real program—not just an activity. And the kids are absolutely loving it.”
The club has been such a success that the school wrote a grant to their district foundation to purchase more K’NEX kits so they can continue the work after students finish the borrowed materials. That’s exactly what the STEM Shoppe was built to do—provide access now, and help educators make informed choices about what’s worth investing in the long-term.
Bisdee had a clear message for other educators and program leaders:
“Don’t let a lack of funding stop you from creating opportunities when resources like the STEM Shoppe exist.”
A Growing Vision for the Future
With increased demand, TRSA is looking ahead. Plans are already underway to:
- Develop full, standards-aligned units built around STEM Shoppe kits
- Expand robotics offerings
- Explore satellite locations across the state, especially in central Oklahoma
- Offer more professional development focused on kits that are underutilized
Your Support Helps Make Experiences Like This Possible
A gift of any size helps TRSA create learning experiences across our entire network of programs—including the STEM Shoppe, educator professional development, competitions, mentoring, and more. Even $0.65 can help power a STEM experience for a student.
When you give to TRSA, you’re fueling the kind of hands-on learning that builds confidence, curiosity, and possibility for young people across the region.
- You’re helping educators bring STEM to life.
- You’re helping students discover where they belong.
- And you’re helping create a future where every child has the chance to explore, build, and dream.