(bright music) (bright music continues) >>Welcome to "A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity."

I'm Darryl Owens.

For neurodivergent students, STEM learning can feel like a Dickens novel.

The best of times, the worst of times.

One page brims with curiosity, creativity, and a hunger to understand how things work.

The next reveals classrooms not built for how they learn, leaving them confused, discouraged, or left behind.

That disconnect doesn't just affect the classroom.

It can block the road ahead.

STEM jobs are growing twice as fast as other fields, and already pay on average, more than double non-STEM roles.

But when learning environments don't fit, neurodivergent students risk being locked out before they even get started.

Here's the good news.

When families, educators, and communities reimagine STEM, from kindergarten coding to college robotics, students who learn differently can thrive.

They can build, explore, and lead in ways that honor their strengths and ignite their passions.

On this episode, we meet a Colorado College student with autism who's engineering a future that fits, powered by his talent, his tenacity, and a mechanical engineering degree.

Then our panel of national experts share practical strategies for nurturing STEM confidence at every age, from tackling math anxiety, to igniting coding curiosity.

And later, we introduce our newest Difference Maker, a tween trailblazer whose love of science is inspiring a movement in helping kids see themselves in STEM.

But first, we head to Denver to meet Christian Udy, who's building a future that works for him.

With his dad as his chassis, and a degree in mechanical engineering as the engine.

(upbeat music) >>My name is Christian Udy.

And I'm attending CU Denver, University of Colorado, Denver.

And I'm expected to finally get my Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in the springtime.

(dial clicking) When I was young, I always liked to look at some things, and I always wondered how they work, how they do things.

That's always been, that's always intrigued me.

>>He was diagnosed when he was four.

And so for the first, from the diagnosis until he was about 12 years old, we were doing what most well-intentioned parents do, which is to try to help him to fit into the normal construct of society.

And we felt like autism was this external thing that was afflicting him, this disordered thing that was causing him to behave differently, sometimes in ways that was difficult, sometimes embarrassing, and sometimes kind of alienating to little friends and peers.

So we were constantly trying to, in the most loving way possible, try to coach him and coax him to be closer to this realm of normal, not realizing that this was something that was very inherent to who he is.

Something very hardwired.

Once we started to look for strengths, that became the thing that was driving our thinking around him, and the narrative that we were creating for him.

A narrative that he would believe.

We put him in places where he could experience and grow and develop his strengths.

Downloading Google SketchUp, so he could develop his computer-aided drafting, 3D modeling capabilities, and just test that, and see is this something that he's going to enjoy?

Is it something that aligns with his interests?

Is it something that he's going to excel in?

And he did, 100%.

So then that was our first clue.

Then we started, then we put him in this charter school that had this whole half of his curriculum focused on computer-aided design, architectural design and engineering.

And so he further excelled in that space.

And so really, it was a combination of finding those spaces.

>>One thing that Clain and I laugh about now, but it wasn't as funny at the time, was he would take our telephones apart when we had landlines and he would disassemble them, and try and put them back together to see how it worked.

And he was three at the time, and he wasn't verbal.

Sometimes it worked, and sometimes we had to throw away a few phones, because we couldn't get them back to the way that they were before.

He has a very inquisitive mind.

>>But he's come to embrace that.

He knows that his unique abilities and talents and strengths come from autism.

And that's something that he's completely embraced, and not ashamed of, doesn't shy away from that realization.

We're done aspiring to normal.

We are, we're over that.

And we're going to, we're gonna see and celebrate him for who he is, and we're gonna provide all the love and the warmth and the light that he needs and deserves.

That's the biggest thing that I would say, the biggest assumption that we dispelled within our home, and that that really set up the strength journey.

But most of the time, he's up there in his room.

But I don't, I see that very differently now, than I used to see it.

I see it as that's a space where he thrives in his strengths because he is continually researching.

He's experimenting, he's innovating, he's coming up with ways to convert this form of energy to that form of energy.

Most of the time he is pursuing his curiosity.

And he is developing and advancing his intellect and his mind.

That is his space where he's thriving.

So if I can answer the question, "Is he thriving?

Is he in a space where he's thriving?"

And the answer is yes, then I'm good.

(gentle music) >>You won't find a more sincere, honest, genuine person, who truly wants to be the best version of himself.

And he wants to engage and make the world a better place.

And he has something to contribute, and he knows that.

Very smart boy, very proud of him, and the world's a better place because he's there.

(footsteps thudding) >>Encouragement.

That's one thing that they'll always give me.

Even when things get hard, sometimes they would help remind me that sometimes I'm not alone, even though sometimes I like to do things alone.

(upbeat music) >>Next, our panel of national experts offers practical advice for families who want to help their kids explore STEM in ways that feel exciting, doable, and affirming.

(upbeat music) Angel Maldonado III is Dean of Curriculum and Innovation at Beacon College in Leesburg, Florida, where he designs inclusive math programs and leads faculty development focused on neurodiverse learners.

He's also a doctoral candidate researching how mentoring and coaching can transform STEM classrooms.

Bill Marsland is Director of Education at Code Ninjas, and teaches computer science education at Michigan State University.

He's known for creating fun, accessible coding programs and helping teachers bring computer science to life for all learners.

Jenny Young is the founder and CEO of Brooklyn Robot Foundry, a hands-on robotics company that teaches kids through creative building.

A mechanical engineer and passionate advocate for inclusive design, she helps children discover the joy of engineering through play.

So we're gonna begin our conversation with Angel.

What can parents do in the early grades to help their child feel confident in math, even if they learn differently?

>>Absolutely.

Parents can build a child's confidence in math by being positive and supportive.

Encourage your child to try, even if they make mistakes.

Focus on the effort, and not just the right answers.

Using phrases like, "Let's figure it out together" would be best, than "I'm not sure how to do this," right?

So giving students that empowerment, and using everyday activities like cooking or shopping to build on how math is useful and fun.

>>All right, thank you.

So Bill, how can families introduce coding in the home in a way that feels both fun and not intimidating?

>>Sure.

Families should start with this idea of coding as play, instead of coding as pressure.

We really wanna make sure that kids see coding as something that's really fun and exciting.

And coding is meant to spark curiosity.

So it's really impactful when families can connect coding with something their child is already interested in.

When a kid sees that connection between coding and something like storytelling or music or video games, they're more inclined to be excited about the coding aspect, and see it as less technical.

It's really important that families then are showing that interest in their child and asking them like, "Show me what your code does.

Show me what your project does."

And taking that initiative to be really enthusiastic so that way kids feel supported, and feel like they're really enjoying the process.

>>All right, thank you.

So Jenny, why is building something with your hands, like a robot so powerful for kids who think outside the box?

>>I love this question.

So neurodivergent kids and other kids who think outside the box, often have this really strong brain-to-hand connection.

I know for myself, I have ADHD.

The way that I learn kind of difficult things is by using my hands.

And it's not just fun, it's really the way in which I learn.

It's, I'm thinking through my hands.

I wanna give you just a little story, and tell you a little bit more about my brain.

And I think it's other neurodivergent brains that could be similar.

So when I learn a new word, the way my brain stores that new word is it changes it into a shape, it changes it into a texture, and it even changes it into a temperature.

And so even if the word doesn't have a physical representation, my brain creates it into a physical representation.

So what that's just showing you is that the way my brain is creating it is that even I'm storing words as something that I can feel and touch with my hands.

And concepts for me are very similar as well.

I have these floating objects that are flying around that helps me really solidify a concept.

So, all neurodiverse brains are totally different, all brains are different, but there is this strong research that shows that when you have hands-on building, when you allow kids to be creative, it's really comfortable for a lot of children, and it's really powerful.

And I think the other thing that's important is, there's this magical thing that happens when you put kids together in a room.

Kids that are building together, kids that are failing together.

I like how both of the other speakers talked about failing.

They're trying and they're creating.

There's this healthy buzz that happens.

The classroom gets a little bit loud, people are talking to each other, they're watching each other.

When something doesn't work, they're helping each other.

They're maybe changing up their own project.

So it's just an incredibly powerful way to learn, and it's powerful for neurodivergent brains, and it's powerful for really all brains, because it really helps solidify some of those really hard concepts.

>>All right, thank you.

So Angel, let's take it out of the home for a minute, and go into the classroom setting.

What does a math classroom that's built for neurodivergent learners look like?

>>Yeah, this is a fun question.

And having the opportunity in my role to really build the learning space is fantastic.

to really build the learning space is fantastic.

But a mathematics learning space for neurodiverse learners should be flexible, it should be supportive and engaging.

It includes different seating options for students, for their comfort and maybe additional focus, using a variety of tools like hands-on materials, or manipulatives in class.

The goal really is to help students learn in a way that works best for them.

Classrooms should include spaces for technology, for group discussions.

Providing non-distracting ways for students to engage with all type of learning is the best option.

>>All right, thank you.

So Bill, what makes a coding activity feel safe and engaging for students who may struggle with traditional classroom?

>>Coding activities are inherently predictable.

There's a lot of structure to coding, and those coding blocks or coding functions used in coding often do the same thing very predictably.

And there's a lot of safety and security in that.

A lot of neurodivergent students find that safety and security in knowing that those code blocks will function the same way, but that they can combine them in different ways and create something new and unique.

Plus making mistakes is just a huge part of the coding process.

We celebrate mistakes at Code Ninjas, and we encourage all kids who are learning to code to celebrate those mistakes, because you can learn so much more from making a mistake.

So when making a mistake is just part of that learning process, it instills that sense of security and safety where you feel like you can experiment, you can try different things, and it's okay to fail, because you're gonna learn just as much from failing than if you had succeeded the first time.

>>Jenny, so how do you make your robot building classes work for students with different sensory needs, and different learning styles?

>>Oh, I love that question.

All of our teachers go through pretty extensive training.

And in particular we have little episodes on how to work with neurodivergent kids.

And the thing that I think is most important is to recognize that these are not behavioral problems that the kids have.

This is a learning need.

So we have fidget toys, we do movement breaks within our classes.

If we realize that a child needs to wiggle, we're gonna send them out, and we're gonna ask them to be a helper and they're gonna be doing a physical task, where they're walking around in this space.

So we really are preparing our teachers to understand that there are different types of learners and we need to be able to kind of meet everybody where they're at.

I think one of the other largest things that we do as an organization is we create projects that are super open-ended.

The kids are not given rigid step-by-step procedures on how to build the robot.

We'll give them a lesson, we'll teach them the circuit, so they'll know how to put kinda the electronic portions together, and then we'll teach them the engineering concepts.

And then we allow the kids the freedom to make the robot the way that they wanna make it.

For some kids on the, autistic children, sometimes having autonomy is extremely important.

I mean, autonomy is important for me, it's probably important for most people, but we don't always like to be told exactly what it is that we have to do.

And so having this space where the kids can really create things the way that they wanna create it and put their own little essence and their own creativity into it is really special.

If you were to come to one of our classes, and you were to line up all the robots that the kids had built, they wouldn't even necessarily look like they had built the same thing.

And so that's a really beautiful thing to be able to create very open-ended things so the kids can bring their selves into it and really feel connected, feel empowered, and feel like this is part of their identity.

>>All right, so Angel, what helps neurodivergent students stay motivated in STEM as they move from grade school through college?

>>Right.

I think that's really important.

An important question in that making STEM relatable with hands-on and real world connections and applications is the best way to really motivate a student to really enjoy STEM, but also progress the need for questioning and exploring throughout their educational career.

(bright music) >>Watch the full Ask the Expert segment on our website at AWODTV.org, if you wanna learn more about this topic.

You can also watch or listen on Facebook, YouTube, or on your favorite podcasting platform.

(bright music) Now let's meet our latest Difference Maker.

Ava Simmons, better known as Ava the STEM Princess, isn't just a science whiz.

She's a revolutionary.

After facing academic and social challenges tied to dyslexia and dysgraphia, Ava found her spark through hands-on experiments, acting, and a love of learning.

Now 12, she's the CEO of GeniusEO and creator of Team Genius Squad.

She's authored three STEM book series, designed toys, and led more than 3,000 experiments in her community.

Her videos have reached over 700,000 viewers worldwide.

Whether teaching chemistry with candy, or coding with cartoons, Ava's mission is clear.

Make STEM fun, make it inclusive, and show every kid they belong.

(upbeat music) >>There she goes!

For no reason.

She brought it for no reason.

>>It's like painted white, red, blue.

Well, what is this, like a bluish color?

>>It's a bluish, but it's called turquoise.

>>Turquoise.

>>Okay, but does it belong?

>>Ava.

>>This was like purple.

Can you just use purple?

>>No.

>>Pink?

>>I don't know.

That looks purple, though.

>>When Ava was first diagnosed with not being able to read, because I'm not in education, I kept saying, "What could we do to give her triggers?

Or things that she can look at or know to kind of reinforce that this is really not who she is, but part of who she is."

(gentle music) And I started to look online about different things, about individuals that are neurodivergent.

And like Albert Einstein, who is a genius, is neurodivergent.

And so I was like, I wonder what she would think if she knew that someone else that was a genius had some of the very similar neurodivergent areas that she has.

And I said, "Ava, you know what?

You're a genius."

She's like, "I am a genius."

And then whenever she would see the word genius, she would get all excited.

So I was like, well you probably could make some stuff that you have, and things like that.

>>That looks cool.

Perfect for you.

And yeah, let's do the red.

>>And she was like, okay.

And so got her a little silhouette machine to cut stuff out and we get to put Genius on everything.

And when she would see it, she was like, "I'm a genius.

I'm a genius."

And it was just something where I realized, just even seeing the word, it really, really boosted her confidence.

So we all have Genius shirts.

You'll see us wearing Genius shirts all the time.

And whenever she sees it, she's just reminded of who she is.

(upbeat music) >>My name is Ava Simmons, also known as Ava the STEM Princess.

(upbeat music) Hi, fellow Geniuses!

My name is Ava the STEM Princess.

Hi, my name is Ava, and guess what?

I have an amazing gift called dyslexia.

>>11-year-old Ava Simmons, known as the STEM Princess, is in the national spotlight today.

She turned her love for science, technology, engineering, and math into a toy line now available in stores.

>>And when I was in school back in 2021, when I was diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia, math was hard.

But then when I started doing it over and over again, I got a better understanding of what I was doing.

And now middle school is really easy.

I thought it was gonna be super hard, but it's really easy.

I noticed that there was not a lot of STEM toys for kids that are neurodivergent like me.

So I really started Team Genius Squad to help other kids and help me improve my reading and math scores.

(children cheering) To do an experiment, you have to know the experiment.

When we talk about know, we mean you have to know things you need, what to do, the instructions.

So I had to read everything to get it done.

And that's exactly what I had to start doing.

And that's really how I came up with all these experiments.

Reading, doing the math, putting it together.

And now math is my most favorite thing to do, and reading.

>>Click it up a little higher on your force, click it up a little higher.

>>What really motivated me to turn my love of STEM into a business, was I like to design things.

And I noticed when I want to design something, I do it myself.

And that is kind of how the Lemon Electricity Kit was made.

We learned from it, and then we tried to make it again, and then we kept going, and we kept going, and then we actually made a kit and then that kit turned into a whole bunch of kit.

It just really motivate me 'cause I wanted to have my own things.

I wanted to have my own brand.

My own T-shirts, my own stuff.

And that's really what made me wanna become Team Genius Squad.

Listening to kids scream and learn how STEM helps them, and listening to kids say, "I look up to you.

I like you."

That's what makes me feel the best about doing what I do.

(upbeat music) >>Just after we filmed this segment, Ava Simmons added another element to her formula for change, her very own PBS show.

On "Mini Fab Science Lab," Ava and her friends dive into big questions, explore STEAM concepts through hands-on experiments, and chat with local experts about the science behind everyday life.

Designed to spark curiosity, build resilience, and make learning joyful for young children, the show is a natural extension of Ava's mission.

You can stream "Mini Fab Science Lab" on YouTube and the PBS app.

Congratulations, Ava Simmons, for continuing to make a world of difference.

And that does it for this episode of "A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity."

I'm Darryl Owens.

See you back here next time.

You can watch episodes of "A World of Difference" on the Beacon College Facebook and YouTube channels, and on the show's website AWODTV.org.

The website also provides tip sheets and other resources for your parenting journey.

You can watch the show from the PBS app, available on your favorite streaming device, and you can listen on your favorite podcasting platform.

Thank you for watching and supporting "A World of Difference."

(bright music) (bright music continues) (bright music continues) (gentle music) (bright music)