Student engagement is at levels I have never seen in my 23 years of teaching. Students love the lab and are constantly asking if they can come down in their free time to continue working with Ukits, or Engino, etc. I’ve never been busier as a teacher, but also have never had more fun. It’s encouraged me to gladly take work home and get more proficient in areas such as coding and circuitry. I see myself as a lifelong learner, and this lab not only meets the needs of my students but also fulfills my own growth as a facilitator and person. I appreciate my administration for investing in this lab and appreciate SmartLab for offering such an incredible product!!!
Simon’s STEM Journey
I Belong Here: Simon’s
energy finds direction.
He’s expressive, always doodling—someone who fills a room with humor and energy. In school, though, that energy didn’t always fit. With ADHD, the classroom often left him unfocused and misunderstood.
But in the SmartLab, things changed. His creativity became a strength, his movement a tool, and hands-on learning a path to confidence. He saw that being curious, artistic, and full of ideas pulled him deeper into STEM.
Watch Simon bring the Signals and Communication Unit to life!
I Can Do This: Simon Becomes a Confident Problem Solver
In All Aboard the Circuit Express Explorer unit, Simon stepped into the role of a signal engineer who is challenged to design a railroad signal device that can keep trains and people safe. The project combined circuitry with a real-world mission, capturing his focus as he built circuits that blinked, buzzed, and signaled the way forward.
Industry: Transportation,
Distribution, and Logistics
Integrated STEM Application:
Circuitry and Electronics
Unit Challenge: How can we build a railroad signal device so that we can communicate important information?
Unit Overview: A new rail line promises progress, but it also raises questions, like “How do we keep people safe near the tracks?”
In All Aboard the Circuit Express, learners design a railroad signal device. Using circuitry and electronics, they create lights and sounds to prevent disaster.
Simon’s first ah-HA! moment in the SmartLab.
Simon’s first signal success sparked something bigger:
a newfound belief in his own ideas.
Simon Turns Creativity Into Communication
Simon’s design process was as expressive as his personality—sketching, adjusting, and testing nonstop. His ideas sometimes outpaced his words, but hands-on work helped him focus and problem-solve. He discovered how re-working ideas could move him forward instead of holding him back, and that communication doesn’t always begin with words—it can start with lights, wires, and a safety plan.
It Starts With an “ah-HA!” Moment
When Simon’s handmade signal flashed at just the right moment, he realized he had designed a working safety system. The process that started with sketches and experiments ended with something real and important. In that moment, he began to see himself not just as a creator, but as a problem-solver.
I’m Future-Ready: Simon’s STEM Identity Takes Shape
Simon’s progression through SmartLab—from Explorer to Pathfinder to Spark—helped him reimagine who he could be. He discovered that his energy wasn’t a barrier; it was a driver. Through project-based learning, Simon didn’t have to conform to traditional classroom expectations—he got to think with his hands, collaborate with peers, and solve real-world problems. For students like Simon who live with ADHD, this kind of hands-on STEM learning isn’t just supportive—it’s empowering. SmartLab gave Simon the structure to stay engaged and the freedom to shine. Now, he sees his future not as a question mark, but as something he’s building, one idea at a time.
How are you supporting your students’ STEM journey?
Simon’s STEM Journey to Transport & Logistics
Today, Simon is a Logistics Manager at Amtrak, coordinating the movement of passengers and freight across the nation. He relies on the collaboration and problem-solving skills he first practiced in the SmartLab.
What began with sending digital signals in All Aboard the Circuit Express and later expanded into building a model train network grew into a fascination with rail systems. That interest, combined with his ability to organize and adapt, led him to a career streamlining real-world transportation.
Simon’s Spark project helped him connect creativity with systems thinking—and launch a future in logistics and operations.
Meet the SMART friends.
Simon makes sure no one gets left out. Maya challenges how technology gets made. Ana’s just one voice. Remy designs things that fly. Theo builds tools to solve local problems. STEM identity takes shape in every story.
Every student’s story reveals a new way STEM learning comes to life.
What Educators Say
“SmartLab Learning’s turnkey solutions allowed us to move quickly to implement a district-wide STEM program…the SmartLab Learning solutions plus the professional development allowed our students to be actively engaged in project-based learning immediately.”
“We are able to work with our students to get them career and college ready, and we do that K-12. SmartLabs help by getting students’ hands on projects and activities, getting them working with partners in the classroom, and getting them building something they would’ve never have imagined they could build…it’s actually shown our community what our students are capable of.”
“In our SmartLab, students become empowered and engaged as they use critical thinking, curiosity, and collaboration to apply content standards. I have yet to meet a student who doesn’t love this class or
benefit from this connected approach to learning.”
Success in Action
Districts across the country use SmartLab to strengthen engagement, improve performance, and empower students.
Explore how different communities are making it work.
Video
Ready to start planning your SmartLab?
We’re excited to hear from you. Let’s change the way your students engage with math and science–in and outside the classroom.
