Help STEM Space Power What's Next: Affordable Robotics and STEM Programs for Local Kids

STEM Space began with one goal. Give every kid in our community the chance to build, code, design, and discover what they are capable of, no matter their income or background. Thanks to your support, that goal is no longer just an idea. It is happening.

Hi, I'm Ryan Rich, founder of STEM Space, a volunteer run nonprofit based in Pasadena, Maryland. We create hands on STEM programs for kids who do not always get access to robotics, engineering tools, or makerspace learning outside of school.

At STEM Space, we believe belonging matters as much as building. Our doors are open to every kid, including those who have not always found an easy fit elsewhere. Every student learns and explores differently, and we want kids to walk into our space and feel like it was built for them.

We are not trying to turn every student into a future engineer. Our goal is simpler and, we think, more important. We want to give kids room to explore, to be curious, to ask questions, and to be fully themselves while they do it. For some students that turns into a love of robotics. For others it is simply a place where they feel like they belong. Both outcomes matter to us equally.

What We've Accomplished

After a successful summer robotics camp in 2025, we kept growing, and the momentum has not slowed down.

We ran two FIRST LEGO League robotics programs. One team here in Pasadena, and another in partnership with Trinity School in Ellicott City.

Our Pasadena team won a Robot Performance Award. This was earned by a team of all rookies. Every student was doing FIRST LEGO League for the first time.

We launched our first HS Space Research Team. This summer, high school students began learning how real scientific research is conducted, designing a scientific payload for a Fall 2026 launch on UMD's High Altitude Balloon (HAB) line. This pilot program is a partnership with Mount St. Joseph High School, the Maryland Space Grant Consortium, and UMD Nearspace.

We launched summer 2026 with our biggest reach yet. 40% of our students this summer are attending free of charge, made possible by partnerships with Freetown Elementary, The Complete Player, and the Rotary Club of Lake Shore Severna Park.

We added a brand new program for 1st through 3rd graders. Younger students are now exploring the ocean through FLL Explore SUBMERGED, learning about marine life, ocean systems, and how robotics helps us explore our planet.

We built leadership through internships. We supported a STEM Space internship program with a team of six interns helping run our robotics programs and mentoring younger students.

We supported FIRST LEGO League Maryland statewide. We contributed volunteers and resources to help Maryland coaches and events this season.

All of this proved something important. Kids in our area are hungry for a place to belong and explore, and when they are given the tools and support, they succeed fast.

Where We're Going Next

We are now planning our fall 2026 programs and the 2026-2027 robotics season, and we want them to be bigger, better, and even more accessible than what came before. Fall is when we welcome new teams and new students into FIRST LEGO League, and it is the season that sets the tone for the entire year ahead.

To do that, we need funding for equipment and supplies.

What We're Raising For Now

Your donations will go directly to fall 2026 and the 2026-2027 season, including:

Robotics kits and expansion parts. We need more LEGO Spike Prime kits and components so more students can participate at once.

Program materials and build supplies. Engineering challenges and creative builds require real materials, and we go through a lot of them each season.

3D printing for students. We want students to design parts and prototypes, then see them made in real life.

Program operations and student support. Everything from project consumables to safety and organization supplies that keep our programs running smoothly.

Most importantly, the more we raise, the more low income students we can invite free of charge, and the more kids get to discover that there is a place where they belong.

Support We've Already Received

Our community has stepped up in incredible ways:

Personal donations from individuals have been one of our biggest contributors, helping us acquire half a class set of LEGO Spike Prime robotics kits and fund critical program needs.

Berman Hebrew Academy donated 30 Chromebooks to our program.

Joe Lederman generously provided laptops, tech parts, and a printer.

The Rich family funded a set of 10 tablets for our program.

Jenkins Memorial Church has provided in kind support through storage and program space for STEM Space.

Freetown Elementary, The Complete Player, and the Rotary Club of Lake Shore Severna Park partnered with us this summer to provide scholarships and free seats to students who need them most.

Mount St. Joseph High School partnered with us to source students for our new HS Space Research Team pilot program.

We've built community connections through participation in the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber of Commerce.

Volunteers from individuals and organizations across Anne Arundel County and Ellicott City have given their time to support our programs.

These gifts have made a real difference, and they show how much this region believes in what STEM Space is building. Now we need to finish

the job for the year ahead.

How You Can Help

Every gift directly supports a student experience.

25 dollars funds craft and build materials for program projects.

100 dollars funds a robotics kit for hands on learning.

250 dollars funds a full scholarship for one student in need. This may be a student from a low income household, a student in foster care, or a student facing serious hardship who deserves a safe place to learn and grow.

350 dollars funds a 3D printer for our program, giving students hands on design and manufacturing access.

Donate any amount, even small gifts buy real supplies.

Share this fundraiser with friends, family, and local businesses.

Leave a message, we share encouragement with students and volunteers.

Thank You

If you believe kids deserve a place to learn by doing, to build robots, solve problems, and find confidence, we would be honored to have your support.

Let's make the year ahead for STEM Space the most accessible one yet.

With gratitude,

Ryan Rich

Founder, STEM Space