Starfire Sports is launching STEM programs as part of the Starfire Academy this year! Here you will find progress updates on the buildout of our Learning Center, program availability, and more. Learn more about the campaign that started it all, or read below to see how things are shaping up.
Meet the Director of STEM & Social Development
Dr. Michael Dianovsky joined the Starfire team in December 2018, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience including STEM instruction and curriculum development at various education levels. Mike will lead our effort to refine our vision and translate it into program curriculum, community partnerships, and class structure integrated into our Starfire Academy. He earned his doctoral degree in Learning Sciences at the University of Illinois after previously earning a Master’s Degree in the Science of Chemistry and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering.
Mike is passionate about project-based learning models and has previously worked on a Gates Foundation funded initiative, and NSF fellowships in partnership with teachers and students on research initiatives that focused on youth learning models. He has been recognized for his work at the national and international level, and we are thrilled that he is bringing his expertise to Starfire.
Program Development – Summer STEM Camp & Fall STEM Academy Session
Our pilot program that launched on April 15th was a huge success! We received a lot of positive feedback from our participants, and are excited to welcome our first crop of STEM Academy participants for the 10-week fall session. Registration is also now open for our summer STEM Camp from August 5th-9th.
Visit the STEM Academy page to register for one of these exciting options.
Starfire Learning Center – Construction Underway!
As part of launching STEM programming comes The Starfire Academy Learning Center. Three new flex-space rooms will be home to Starfire’s STEM program and be configurable to a variety of engaging experiences for students to grow their knowledge and curiosity. Construction is well on its way, and we will be posting photos soon!