Just a few years ago, Sam was failing at least two subjects when he enrolled in a STEM elective at Yeshivas Beis Hillel in Passaic. The program introduced a whole new world to Sam, who developed a passion for STEM, and his success in that class spread to other academic areas. By the end of the year, he had turned his grades around from a D average to a B average, a change largely attributed to the influence of STEM.

Sam’s story is just one of many similar stories Teach NJ representatives heard last week as they visited 11 yeshivas and Jewish day schools across the state, celebrating the groundbreaking New Jersey STEM program that benefits thousands of students across the state. The program provides nonpublic schools with public school educators qualified to teach STEM subjects — all at no additional cost to the schools or their families. Championed by community advocates, legislative partners and Teach NJ in 2019, and funded by the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE), the program has allowed schools to expand their curricula to include courses such as STEM labs and computer science, while also allowing them to offer more advanced and specialized tracks.

One such course is an engineering class now being offered at Yavneh Academy in Paramus. The class challenged students to program hexbugs to navigate mazes using all the skills and knowledge they had learned that trimester, while the robotics class wrapped up with a competition among students.

“We have seen a lot of growth as the students developed new STEM skills, especially in the engineering process,” said Jason David, director of technology and curriculum design innovator.

Now in its second year of the program, Yavneh utilizes seven state-funded teachers. These teachers, who will provide about $50,000 in STEM instruction, are trained in various subjects, including robotics, coding, engineering, circuitry, algebra, geometry, computer science, biology, earth science and more.

So far, about $4.5 million has been awarded to New Jersey nonpublic schools for the first five years of the program, including an astounding $2.2 million for this school year alone. Of that figure, about $1.8 million — roughly 81% of the funding — was awarded to yeshivas and Jewish day schools. The program has grown to include over 105 teachers, servicing 40 nonpublic schools throughout the state – significantly elevating the quality of education at those schools.

Erin Drazen, a senior at The Frisch School, couldn’t agree more. “STEM has really exposed me to many different fields of science and engineering and helped me decide what I want to do when I grow up,” she said. “Through Frisch’s STEM program I was exposed to both coding and microbiology and decided that I want to go into biomedical engineering.”

Schools now have the opportunity to apply for next year’s program – increasing their current participation with more teachers or even applying for the first time. With the deadline to apply fast approaching on March 18, schools are encouraged to take advantage of this game changing program by reaching out to Teach NJ for information and help with the application process.

One school that will be re-applying this year is Mesivta of Clifton, where DOE-sponsored teachers comprise all of its STEM faculty.

Earlier this week, its principal, Rabbi Gopin, told Adam Katz, Teach NJ’s associate director of government programs, “This program has not only changed our school for the better, providing more educational opportunities than ever before, but it has changed the lives of our students by opening their minds, challenging their way of thinking, and inspiring their creativity and critical skills, no matter where life takes them.”