Over the years, I’ve watched students light up with excitement, their eyes widening as they discover something new. It’s a moment every educator treasures. But unfortunately, not everyone gets to experience these moments. Somewhere between elementary and middle school, many children begin to see science as “not for them.” This unsettling decline in students’ confidence in science and STEM fields is especially pronounced among girls, students from underrepresented races and ethnicities, and those from lower-income communities. These students don’t believe they have the right kind of brain for it, or they don’t see themselves in the role of a scientist, engineer, or coder. It’s a loss that starts early and has long-term consequences. So, how do we stop it? How do we make sure every student has that “aha” moment and believes, “I can do this”?
I spent more than 20 years as an educator before joining Challenger Center, working as a teacher, principal, and administrator. Throughout my career, I’ve seen how to build student confidence in STEM—in my classroom, with my teachers, and from our Flight Directors. These are folks passionately focused on how to make sure those lightbulb moments don’t fade but grow stronger over time.
Expanding Horizons: Showing Students What’s Out There
When I was teaching, I would ask students what they wanted to be when they grew up and always got the same handful of answers—lawyer, firefighter, basketball player. These careers weren’t the only options, of course, but students could picture themselves in those jobs because they had seen role models who looked like them succeed in those positions. You can’t dream of being something you’ve never seen. And for many kids, STEM careers are a complete mystery.
Representation matters. The reality is that Black and Hispanic individuals make up 32% of the U.S. population but less than 10% of the STEM workforce. And while students of all backgrounds have the aptitude for STEM, many never consider it simply because they haven’t been exposed to the possibilities.
When I was a principal, I revamped our school’s schedule so that every Friday, we had a guest speaker—someone from a different career field. But it wasn’t just about bringing in a scientist or an engineer and letting them talk for an hour. Instead, the whole week of classroom work would lead up to their visit, immersing students in their world. If a civil engineer was coming in, students spent the week building bridges, experimenting with different supports, and testing what materials worked best. By the time Friday arrived, they weren’t just listening to a career talk—they were asking in-depth questions about what materials supported the weight of cars the best. They were imagining themselves in that role. And that’s where it starts.
From Spectators to Scientists: The Power of Hands-On Learning
It’s one thing to hear about a career, but it’s another to step into it. Kids don’t just need a window into a job; they also need a mirror—they need to see themselves doing the work. Immersive learning is one of the most effective ways to build confidence, especially for students who may not easily see themselves in STEM.
At Challenger Center, students take on real roles in our simulated space missions. They’re not just learning about engineers, coders, and scientists—they are those professionals for the day. If they are on the medical team, they perform health checks on astronauts, analyze data, and communicate with Mission Control. Even though it’s a simulation, the confidence it builds is real.
I saw this in my own classroom, too. One of my favorite science lessons involved oobleck—that strange, messy, non-Newtonian fluid that acts like both a solid and a liquid. I handed it to my students and asked them, “What is this?” At first, they were confused, but soon they were experimenting, making observations, and listing characteristics of different phases of matter. By the end, they didn’t just know the difference between solids, liquids, and gases—they understood it deeply and confidently because they had experienced it.
Hands-on learning builds perseverance, too. At Challenger Center and in my classroom, I never handed students all the answers. I wanted them to struggle, to experiment, to make mistakes. Because that’s what science is—trial, error, and discovery. When students learn that being “wrong” isn’t failure but part of the process, their confidence soars. And when they develop the skills to find answers on their own, they stop asking, “Can I do this?” and start saying, “I am doing this.”
Confidence Starts with Educators
Students take their cues from their teachers. If a teacher is hesitant or uncertain about STEM, students will be too. I know this from personal experience. When I taught second grade, science was the subject I struggled with most—not because I didn’t think it was important, but because I wasn’t confident in my own understanding of the concepts. And that fear held me back.
The turning point came when I decided to dive in headfirst. I sought out hands-on activities, found ways to connect science to literacy (where I was much more confident), and worked with a mentor to deepen my understanding. The more I learned, the more I realized I wanted my students to explain concepts back to me—not just repeat facts but truly understand them. As I gained confidence, it helped me see how valuable it would be to instill that in my students.
I see this transformation in teachers who bring their students to Challenger Center, too. They watch their students light up during a mission, and suddenly, they’re inspired to bring that back to their classrooms. We equip them with pre- and post-Mission lessons, and they think, “I can do this with my class.” And when teachers feel confident, their students do too.
STEM is Everywhere—Let’s Teach It That Way
One of the biggest roadblocks to STEM education is time. Teachers feel pressured to focus on literacy and math, and STEM often gets sidelined. But here’s the truth: STEM isn’t separate from those subjects—it’s embedded in them. Science tells a story, just like history does. Engineering relies on math. The more we integrate STEM into everyday learning, the more natural—and accessible—it becomes.
At the end of the day, STEM shouldn’t feel like an exclusive club. It’s not just for the “best and brightest” or the kids who already love chemistry. It’s for everyone. Feeling like you belong breeds confidence. And when we show students that STEM is not just a collection of subjects but a way of thinking—about the world, about problems, about possibilities—we open doors they never even knew existed.
Because the goal isn’t just to teach science or math. It’s to spark something that lasts. It’s to make sure every student, no matter their background, can see themselves in the story of discovery.
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