READY, SET, STEM! SYLVAN LEARNING HOSTS FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS ENCOURAGING FAMILIES TO PARTICIPATE IN FUN ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO ENGAGE KIDS IN STEM

Sylvan Learning locations in the Bergen County area are celebrating the launch of Sylvan EDGE, a series of highly engaging, hands-on classes that empower parents to incorporate STEM into their child’s after-school and summer activities. On April 25th, Sylvan Learning locations around the county will host a “Find Your Edge” event for local families, scout leaders, coaches and educators to help children find their edge by experiencing Sylvan’s new hands-on robotics, coding and math activities in a fun and creative atmosphere. Dates and times of events include:

· Sylvan of Fair Lawn – 4/25 from 2-5

· Sylvan of Teaneck – 4/25 from 2-5

· Sylvan of Hillsdale – 4/25 from 2-5

· Sylvan of Jersey City – 4/25 from 12-4

Geared to families with kids in grades one through six, this free community event will provide children with the opportunity to build and animate LEGO® robots, design video games, solve fun math brain boosters and more. With an alarming number of parents reporting that their children lack skills in advanced math (69%) and computer science (coding and programming) (80%), there is a critical need to introduce children to events like this in order to peak their interest in STEM at an early age.

By the time American kids reach high school, they’ve fallen behind children around the world in STEM proficiency, ranking 25th in mathematics and 17th in science among 27 industrialized nations. That doesn’t mean your child has to follow in that trend, though. By introducing your child to STEM-based learning early, such as through extracurricular activities and in-school opportunities during elementary school, you can inspire your child to develop critical skills and get on the right path to high-demand careers—all while building confidence and having fun.

“We pride ourselves on having strong relationships with local educators and a robust presence here, and continue to be heavily committed to increasing STEM proficiency among children in our local community,” said Anthony DiGiacomo, Executive Director. “We want to provide parents with the opportunity to start STEM education at an early age in order to better prepare their children for the future job market.”

Known for his active role in the science and innovation arena, Bill Nye has also partnered with Sylvan Learning to help raise awareness about the importance and impact of STEM learning among elementary school children. Nye will be unveiling the company’s latest EDGE offering on April 21st in New York City to mark the kick-off of the Find Your Edge local event series.

This local event is one of more than 500 “Find Your Edge” events taking place in local communities throughout the U.S. and Canada. At the event, parents, teachers, scout leaders, and coaches can sign up to receive a free interactive class of robotics or coding for their group. More than 6,000 of these additional hands-on experiences to reach more than 60,000 additional kids nationwide will be given away.