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Our Mission

New England Sci-Tech is a non-profit STEM education center and maker space dedicated to project-based, hands-on learning for youth and families across the New England community. Our mission is to promote development of a STEM-literate and skilled citizenry ready to meet the needs of the 21st century and beyond.

New England Sci-Tech, Inc. (NEST) was founded in 2018 by Bob Phinney. Bob believes that hands-on STEM learning and literacy is essential for meaningful participation in our society. Based on his 43 years of experience teaching K-12 students, he realized that many students need more time, attention, and resources for hands-on, experiential science education. He founded NEST to provide access to enrichment opportunities to supplement what is experienced in school to expose K-12 students to the more exciting aspects of science and to spark interest and enthusiasm for STEM. You can listen to Bob's interviews with The Entrepreneurs' Guild and with QSO Today.

Our goals are to:

  • to provide stimulating STEM activities that spark student interest and help them develop a life-long love of science
  • help all our participants strengthen their scientific literacy, which is essential for understanding many facets of daily life and participating in the 21st century global economy
  • address the need for supplemental enrichment to what is offered by public schools in the STEM fields
  • reach young people who are already interested in STEM and introduce the excitement of the scientific method to those who have not yet developed an interest in STEM
  • support working families through our after-school and weekend programs by ensuring that youth have a safe place to go while parents or guardians are at work
  • empower students to discover their interests and aptitudes to help propel each of them along their individual path to post-secondary success

We provide:

  • after-school, weekend, and summer classes and workshops in electronics, space science, radio electronics, amateur radio, astronomy, robotics, photography, coding, computers, and more;
  • maker space available to the community-at-large to gather to share resources and knowledge, work on projects, network, and build in a stimulating, collaborative environment; public programs including free telescope nights and amateur radio events; 
  • amateur radio license courses and license exams
  • science, math, and Latin tutoring; 
  • educational support for the home school community, scouting organizations, and after school activities for public schools and students wanting STEM enrichment

 

Our staff and instructors:

  • instructors are retired educators and active professionals who volunteer their time
  • unpaid student volunteers and interns are those in high school and college who volunteer for credit or community service
  • the leadership team consists of over 60 volunteers from the surrounding community who have specific expertise and skill sets to support our educational mission 

We Host Birthday Parties!

  • For children and adults who like space science, astronomy, robotics, ham radio, and making things, we can design a custom program for you.

Special Projects for High-School Teens

  • We help teens develop a focused, project-oriented activity in STEM science to help build their college portfolio or prepare a science fair project. We provide project mentoring, internships, and teaching opportunities that support goal-oriented, college-bound youth.

Scout Badge Support

  • We provide many of the learning opportunities scouts need for STEM merit badges.

Academic Tutoring

  • We provide academic tutoring in English grammar, classical Latin language, pre-algebra and higher level math and geometry.

Become a Member

  • If you would like to use the makerspace, support our mission, and receive discounts on taking courses and workshops, join our general membership. See website for rates and terms. Donations may be tax deductible.

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