The Smart Factory - STEM Programs for Underresourced Youth

Why I Believe

In this series, the people who created, experience, and operate the Believers program share how they became involved in STEM, how it shaped their own careers and lives, and why they believe in developing new pathways to educate the STEM workforce of the future.

Our North Stars

Create an impact on underresourced communities

Our program focuses on supporting communities furthest from opportunity. All our participating schools in the United States are Title 1-eligible, a federal designation for schools with high percentages of students from low-income families.

Empower teachers with STEM education resources

Our goal is long-term, sustained impact. Beyond physical resources—STEM education kits, computer accessories, and curriculum resources—we provide teacher and school leader training to enable a STEM-fluent cultural shift for our schools and districts.

Inspire students with tangible STEM skills

We seek to create a STEM "spark" in students everywhere. Our curriculum is aligned to Common Core standards and is designed to be deployed flexibly—from everyday math and science classes to STEM electives and after-school robotics clubs.

Build long-term career paths for economic mobility

For students who often lack access to high-impact STEM education, STEM careers create opportunities for economic mobility. With our ecosystem of partners, we connect classroom skills to tangible jobs through field trips and career engagement.

Our why

Career readiness begins in the classroom

40%

The World Economic Forum's 2023 Future of Jobs report highlights that 40% of the current skill requirements in advanced manufacturing will evolve over the next five years.

Source: https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023

1.9M

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be 1.9 million vacant positions from now until 2033 if manufacturers are not able to address the talent and skills gap.

Source: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/manufacturing/supporting-us-manufacturing-growth-amid-workforce-challenges.html

EXPLORE LOCATIONS

Arizona

Phoenix, AZ

District

Roosevelt Elementary District

School

C.O. Greenfield Academy of Design and Innovation

School

Sunland STEAM Academy

Tuscon, AZ

District

Daisy Education Corporation DBA Sonoran Science A

School

Sonoran Science Academy Davis Monthan

School

Sonoran Science Academy Tucson

Tuscon, AZ

District

Daisy Education Corporation DBA Sonoran Science AC

School

Sonoran Science Academy East

California

Hayward, CA

District

Hayward Unified School District

School

East Avenue Elementary School

School

Eldridge Elementary School

School

Park Elementary School

Los Angeles, CA

District

KIPP Academy of Innovation District

School

KIPP Academy of Innovation

Connecticut

East Hartford, CT

District

Goodwin University Magnet School System

School

RiverTech at Goodwin University

Groton, CT

District

Groton Public Schools

School

Groton Middle School

D.C.

Washington, DC

District

District of Columbia Public Schools

School

Browne Education Campus

School

Dunbar High School

School

Excel Academy Public School for Girls

School

John Hayden Johnson Middle School

School

Leckie Education Campus

School

McKinley Middle School

School

McKinley Technology High School

School

Walker-Jones Education Campus

School

Wheatley Education Campus

Washington, DC

District

Prince George's County Public Schools

School

Thomas Johnson Middle School

Georgia

Atlanta, GA

District

Atlanta Public Schools

School

Benjamin E. Mays High School

School

Charles R Drew Charter School

School

Frederick Douglass High School

School

John Lewis Invictus Academy

School

Kindezi at Gideons

School

Kindezi Old 4th Ward

School

Kindezi West

School

KIPP Strive Academy

School

KIPP VISION Academy

School

KIPP WAYS Academy

School

KIPP Woodson Park Academy

School

Martin Luther King Jr Middle School

Atlanta, GA

District

Clayton County

School

North Clayton Middle School

Augusta, GA

District

Richmond County Schools

School

Belair K-8 School

School

Langford Middle School

School

Richmond Hill K-8

Hampton, GA

District

Clayton County

School

Eddie White Middle Academy

Jonesboro, GA

District

Clayton County

School

Kendrick Middle School

School

Morrow High School

School

Mundy's Mill High School

School

Mundy's Mill Middle School

Riverdale, GA

District

Clayton County

School

Riverdale Middle School

Stonecrest, GA

District

Dekalb County Schools

School

Druid Hills Middle School

School

Leadership Preparatory Academy

Illinois

Chicago, IL

District

City of Chicago Sd 299

School

Acero Chtr Network - Jovita Idar

School

Charles W. Earle STEM Elementary School

School

Genevieve Melody STEM Elementary School

School

James Wadsworth STEM Elementary School

School

John J. Pershing Elementary Humanities Magnet

School

Laura Ward STEM School

School

Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy

School

Mary Gage Peterson Elementary

School

Paul Cuffe STEM Academy

School

Philip D. Armour Elementary School

Kansas

Kansas City, KS

District

Turner USD 202

School

Turner High School

School

Turner Middle School

Wichita, KS

District

Haysville USD 261

School

Campus High School

School

Haysville High School

Wichita, KS

District

Wichita Public Schools

School

Brooks Center for STEM and Arts Magnet Middle School

School

Christa McAuliffe Academy

School

Coleman Middle School

School

Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet

School

Marshall Middle School

School

Mead Middle School

School

Pleasant Valley Middle School

School

Stucky Middle School

School

Truesdell Middle School

School

Wichita Heights High School

School

Wichita North High School

School

Wichita Northeast Magnet High School

School

Wichita Northwest High School

School

Wichita South High School

School

Wichita West High School

School

Wilbur Middle School

Maryland

Baltimore, MD

District

Baltimore Public Schools

School

Armistead Gardens Elementary/Middle School

School

Lakeland Elementary/Middle School

Michigan

Clinton, MI

District

Clintondale Community Schools

School

Clintondale Middle School

School

Romulus Middle School

Detroit, MI

District

Carman - Ainsworth Community Schools

School

Carman-Ainsworth High School

School

Carman-Ainsworth Middle School

Detroit, MI

District

Cesar Chavez Academy

School

Cesar Chavez Middle School

Detroit, MI

District

Detroit Public Community School District

School

Academy of the Americas

School

Bates Academy

School

Bethune Academy

School

Brenda Scott Academy

School

Bunche Preparatory Academy

School

Cody High School

School

Cooke STEM Academy

School

Detroit Lions Academy

School

East English Village Preparatory

School

Northwestern High School

School

Osborn High School

School

Schulze Academy for Technology and Arts

School

The School at Marygrove

School

Western International

Detroit, MI

District

University Preparatory Academy

School

University Prep Academy PSAD Middle School

Detroit, MI

District

University Preparatory Art & Design

School

University Prep Art & Design Middle School

Detroit, MI

District

University Preparatory Science and Math

School

University Prep Science and Math PSAD Middle School

Hazel Park, MI

District

Hazel Park School District

School

Hazel Park Junior High School

Westland, MI

District

Wayne-Westland Community School District

School

Adams Middle School

School

Franklin Middle School

School

Stevenson Middle School

School

The Marburger STEM Center / K-8 STEM Center @ John Glenn

School

Walker-Winter Elementary School

School

William D. Ford Career – Technical Center

New Mexico

Clovis, NM

District

Clovis Municipal Schools

School

Marshall Middle School

School

W D Gattis Middle School

School

Yucca Middle School

La Cruces, NM

District

Las Cruces Public Schools

School

Vista Middle School

New York

Yonkers, NY

District

Yonkers Public Schools

School

Riverside High School

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA

District

Cristo Rey

School

Cristo Rey Philadelphia HS

Philadelphia, PA

District

Philadelphia City School District

School

Delaplaine McDaniel School

Pittsburgh, PA

District

Pittsburgh School District

School

Barack Obama Academy Of International Studies

School

Pittsburgh Classical Academy

School

Pittsburgh Colfax K-8

School

Pittsburgh King K-8

School

Pittsburgh Milliones 6-12

School

Pittsburgh Perry High School

Texas

Arlington, TX

District

Uplift Education

School

Uplift Summit International Middle

Dallas, TX

District

Uplift Education

School

Uplift Ascend Preparatory

School

Uplift Atlas Preparatory

School

Uplift Elevate Preparatory School

School

Uplift Grand Preparatory

School

Uplift Hampton

School

Uplift Heights Preparatory Middle

School

Uplift Luna Secondary School

School

Uplift Mighty Preparatory

School

Uplift Williams Preparatory

School

Uplift Wisdom High School

Houston, TX

District

Houston ISD

School

Clifton Middle School

School

Fondren Middle School

School

Forest Brook Middle School

School

Gregory Lincoln Middle School

School

McReynolds Middle School

Houston, TX

District

Spring ISD

School

Anderson Elementary

School

Bammel Elementary

School

Bammel Middle School

School

Beneke Elementary

School

Carolee Booker Elementary School

School

Clark Elementary

School

Doloras E Thompson Elementary

School

Donna Lewis Elementary

School

Dueitt Middle School

School

Edward Roberson Middle School

School

Edwin M Wells Middle School

School

Ginger Mcnabb Elementary

School

Gloria Marshall Elementary

School

Helen Major Elementary

School

Heritage Elementary

School

Hoyland Elementary

School

Joan Link Elementary

School

John Winship Elementary

School

Meyer Elementary

School

Mildred Jenkins Elementary

School

Milton Cooper Elementary

School

Northgate Elementary

School

Pat Reynolds Elementary

School

Pearl M Hirsch Elementary

School

Ponderosa Elementary

School

Ralph Eikenroht Elementary

School

Ricky C Bailey Middle School

School

Salyers Elementary

School

Smith Elementary

School

Spring Leadership Academy

School

Springwoods Village Middle School

School

Stelle Claughton Middle School

School

Twin Creeks Middle School

Houston, TX

District

Odyssey Academy

School

Odyssey Academy - Bay Area

School

Odyssey Academy - Galveston

School

Odyssey Academy - Texas City

School

Odyssey Academy - Webster

Irving, TX

District

Uplift Education

School

Uplift Infinity High School

School

Uplift North Hills Prep Middle

South Texas, TX

District

South Texas ISD

School

South Texas ISD Science Academy High School

Wisconsin

Kenosha, WI

District

Kenosha Schools of Technology Enhanced Curriculum

School

Kenosha High School of Technology Enhanced Curriculum

Believers in action

Impact Day Stats:

40 Middle school students participated
30+ School leaders and Facilitators
87% Students would consider a career in STEM
66% Students are interested in careers at Electric Boat or Deloitte

Video: General Dynamics Electric Boat Impact Day

Deloitte and General Dynamics brought STEM to life at Groton Middle School, inspiring the next generation of innovators. During this dynamic STEM Day, 40 students immersed themselves in hands-on robotics activities and collaborative problem-solving, guided by enthusiastic leaders from Deloitte and Electric Boat. Through the Believers program, students discovered how technology and creativity can shape real-world solutions and open doors to exciting careers in manufacturing and STEM.

Impact Day Stats:

9 Impact Day sites
200+ Volunteers
500+ Students & educators impacted
83% were inspired to consider working at Deloitte in the future
77% expressed interest in manufacturing, robotics, or STEM careers

Video:
Impact Day

As part of Deloitte’s annual Impact Day, a handful of Deloitte associates dedicated their time and expertise to the Believers program, lighting up the path for STEM education in local communities. In an inspiring half-day STEM workshop, students worked in teams to build their own ‘smart robot,’ leveraging this technology to address critical global challenges. Check out this video recap of these events and hear why these Deloitte colleagues are Believers!

Detroit, MI | Wayne-Westland FIRST Robotics

Detroit, MI

Adams
Middle School
Franklin
Middle School
Stevenson
middle school

Live from
the classroom:

"We have seen great success with the Deloitte Believers Program and using the Smart Rovers with our middle and high school students. In our coding classes and computer science classrooms, where most of the students are engaged in free coding learning programs on the computer, the Rovers have been able to provide applications and real-life experiences of coding. For our high school robotics team, the Smart Rovers really bridged the gap between our novice and experienced programmers and supported our build team in understanding the mechanics of robot construction."

- Dr. Adrienne Nathan Director of Community Partnerships, Wayne-Westland Community Schools

Detroit, MI | Wayne-Westland Siemens LIFT

Detroit, MI

Adams
Middle School
Franklin
Middle School
Stevenson
middle school

Live from
the classroom:

"Imagine students visualizing themselves solving real problems, in real-world settings to create a more innovative sustainable future. Students see their futures in new ways when they are touring experience centers. Partnering with academia cultivates curiosity and inspires careers to produce transformative outcomes for students, educators,and industry."

- Shannon O’Donnell Global Engagement Leader, Siemens Empowers Education Startups

Our purpose ecosystem

Deloitte: Program Execution

Deloitte is the world's largest professional services firm, with a global purpose to make an impact that matters every day for companies, communities, and people.

deloitte.com

The Smart Factory: Program Founder and Convener

Deloitte's global network of Smart Factories is focused on transforming the future of manufacturing through ecosystem-led immersive experiences.

$National Math + Science Initiative$

National Math + Science Initiative: Curriculum AND School Training

The National Math + Science Initiative is a national nonprofit with a mission to advance STEM education to ensure all students reach their highest potential.

nms.org

Elenco: Purposeful Play and Products

Family-owned and operated since 1972, Elenco is a leading manufacturer and distributor of educational STEM toys and do-it-yourself kits, including the award-winning Snap Circuits® brand.

elenco.com

AWS: Logistics and Last-mile Delivery

For more than 25 years, Amazon has designed and manufactured smart products and distributed billions of products through its globally connected distribution network.

aws.amazon.com

Ballmer Group: Community Partner

Ballmer Group is committed to improving economic mobility for children and families in the United States. They fund leaders and organizations that have demonstrated the ability to reshape opportunity and reduce systemic inequities.

ballmergroup.org

$National Math + Science Initiative$

Program resources

Smart Factory believers

Building the skilled workforce of tomorrow

Our mission is to empower STEM educational opportunities for underresourced communities today and inspire the manufacturing workforce of tomorrow.

Empowering next-gen STEM talent

Why I Believe

Our North Stars

Create an impact on underresourced communities

Empower teachers with STEM education resources

Inspire students with tangible STEM skills

Build long-term career paths for economic mobility

Our why

Career readiness begins in the classroom

Believers in action