Young Designers Think Big

Welcome to STEM_n_Stone: Empowering Innovators through S.T.E.M, Mindfulness, Design Thinking, and Art

At STEM_n_Stone, we are dedicated to equipping individuals with the tools and mindset to innovate in their chosen fields. By integrating principles of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (S.T.E.M) with the transformative practices of mindfulness, design thinking, and art, we empower our participants to address challenges at every level – from the individual to the global scale.

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Screen%2BShot%2B2019-03-09%2Bat%2B12.54.42%2BPM.jpg — Why STEM_n_Stone?

Empower Your Team with Carla Stone’s Transformative Professional Development Workshops! Embark on a journey of growth and innovation alongside Carla Stone, an expert facilitator committed to driving meaningful change in your organization. With Carla's personalized approach, you can unlock the full potential of your team through tailor-made workshops that inspire, educate, and transform. You will receive:
**Personalized approach:** Meet your professional development needs as Carla collaborates directly with you to craft workshops that align with your organization's goals, culture, and unique challenges. Each session is customized to address your specific needs and objectives.
**Expert Guidance:** Benefit from Carla's extensive experience and expertise in professional development. As a seasoned facilitator, she brings a wealth of knowledge in areas such as team building, design thinking, emotional intelligence, STEM/STEAM, SEL, inquiry, mindfulness in the classroom, motivation, and storytelling.
**Transformational Impact:** Carla's workshops go beyond traditional training sessions. They are designed to provoke thought, spark creativity, and foster genuine connections among participants. Attendees leave feeling inspired, empowered, and equipped with practical tools to enact positive change in their work environment.
**Workshop Topics Include:**
**Team Building**: fosters collaboration, trust, and synergy among team members to enhance productivity and morale.
**Design Thinking**: Cultivate a culture of innovation by embracing a human-centered approach to problem-solving and creativity.
**Emotional Intelligence:** Develop self-awareness, empathy, and effective communication skills to foster healthier relationships and leadership.
**STEM/STEAM:** Explore hands-on activities and strategies to promote science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics education.
**Social-Emotional Learning (SEL):** Equip educators and professionals with tools to support students' social and emotional development for academic and personal success.
**Inquiry:** Encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and exploration through inquiry-based learning methodologies.
**Mindfulness in the Classroom:** Integrate mindfulness practices to cultivate focus, resilience, and well-being among students and educators.
**Motivation:** Unlock strategies to inspire and motivate individuals and teams to achieve their full potential.
**Storytelling:** Harness the power of storytelling to engage, inspire, and communicate your organization's vision and values effectively.
**Ready to Transform Your Organization?**
Partner with Carla Stone to design workshops that ignite passion, foster growth, and drive lasting change. Together, we'll embark on a journey of discovery and empowerment to elevate your team to new heights. Contact Carla today to begin your transformative professional development experience.
**Contact Us Now!**

Our Impact

Empowering Future Educators at Thornton Fractional South

At STEM_n_Stone, we are proud to collaborate with Thornton Fractional South in Lansing, IL, to nurture the next generation of educators. Through our innovative STEAM & Stories program and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) program, we are shaping young minds aged 15-18 to become the best educators of the future. By blending creativity, science, and emotional intelligence, we equip these aspiring teachers with the skills and mindset needed to inspire and empower future generations.

Fostering Environmental Innovation: A Citywide Collaboration

From 2017 to 2020, STEM_n_Stone spearheaded an inspiring initiative in partnership with the city of Evanston, Northwestern University, The Evanston Public Library, the McGaw Y.M.C.A. Meta Media Lab, and school district 65. Together, we organized an annual citywide Invention Convention, engaging over 900 eleven and twelve-year-olds in showcasing their environmental solutions.

In 2020, amidst the challenges of the pandemic, we pivoted to a virtual platform, leveraging Minecraft as a creative tool for students to exhibit their inventions and solutions for Climate Change. Guided by the Stanford Design Method and inspired by the former mayor's Climate Action Resilience Plan (C.A.R.P), students tackled Evanston's toughest environmental issues:

Reducing Waste: Implementing solutions for household and school waste reduction.

Energy Conservation: Exploring strategies to minimize energy consumption and increase renewable energy sources.

Preserving Urban Canopy: Innovating ways to preserve and restore urban green spaces.

Stormwater Management: Developing solutions to reduce stormwater runoff and increase absorption.

Making an Impact, Together: Through collaborative efforts and creative problem-solving, we made a tangible impact on Evanston's environmental challenges. Now, we stand ready to extend our expertise and support to help you change the world for the better. Whether you're an educational institution, community organization, or individual with a vision for positive change, STEM_n_Stone is here to empower you to make a difference.

Join us in shaping a brighter, more sustainable future – together, we can turn ideas into action and create lasting impact.

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Golden Apple Award

2

Countries in counting

Within the next five years, STEM & STONE will expand our mission by doubling the number of countries that we work with to develop the minds of their youngest designers so that they are S.T.E.M Career Ready for High School and beyond! We love helping kids change the world for the better one environmental issue at a time.

25

Years Serving schools & communities

Carla Stone is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher, a 2011 Golden Apple Award Winner who has served district 65, the Evanston Community and Chicago Neighborhood Communities with passion for Design Thinking, the Arts, Technology, Entrepreneurship and Career Readiness with S.T.E.M to develop the minds of young designers who learn how to be “The Boss of Their Own Thinking” while solving design challenges and environmental issues.

2000

and more children Impacted

No matter what age, kids can learn how to design solutions to most problems large or small. When we give kids time to sit with their thinking, spend time figuring out science, exploring phenomenon, expressing their natural talents and supporting all of this with resources…the possibilities are always endless!

Our Programs

Our Programs include professional development for teachers with or without students. We also have workshop series that range from 1 day, 3 day, 5 day, two weeks or quarterly check-ins. Workshops can be tailored to the curriculum needs of the institution if requested. We focus on inquiry science incorporating student driven experiences. We love to show educators that S.T.E.M and Design Thinking can be applied to any content area. Some of the best projects have been developed outside the area of S.T.E.M. Our team has experience weaving the Arts into our design challenges. Creativity is our specialty. Nurturing young minds and the minds of the teachers who stand with them is our passion!

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Engineering

The E in STEM is what drives our team. We use the Stanford Design Method with children ages 5-18 to solve mini design challenges all the way to local/global environmental issues. Students learning how to think like an Engineer gives them the ability to compete in a modern technological world. We facilitate collaborative talk, active listening, ideating, prototyping and redesigning skillsets with students of any age.

Technology

Our team is currently writing a grant to the Bill and Linda Gates foundation to support the distribution of more technological resources for the students, localities and countries whom we impact. We support students at any age who want to learn how write code (the language of a computer) and create applications that will change their lives enhancing their skills sets for the demand of the future job market.

Science

Inquiry Science is a way of student centered learning where student interest is ignited through scientific phenomenon and their natural curiosity. Students are asked to notice, wonder and think critically about real world problems. Their driving questions can lead to investigations and experimentations that can be shared locally or globally.

Mathematics

“Applying mathematics during engineering design challenges can help children develop critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills. Challenging students with important mathematics prepares them to solve problems in class and at home” (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics). Thus, we support the use of grade level math curriculum with integrity though out our S.T.E.M activities.