About Us
Hey, we're Project SPARK! We're an FPS CMPS group and an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit here to spread STEM and provide opportunity to underrepresented communities.
Our Mission
Our goal is aimed at bringing STEM education to underprivileged students and children across the greater Houston area through engaging activities and online resources.
Point 1: Passion
After noticing declining interest in STEM among students, we didn't assume kids just weren't interested — we asked why the decline was prominent amongst underrepresented children. Conversations with our district Superintendent and AP teachers pointed to the root cause: it wasn't disinterest, it was a lack of early, confidence-building exposure to STEM, especially for students facing socioeconomic barriers.
Point 2: District-Sponsored
Rather than run isolated events, we partnered directly with Pearland ISD's Science Specialist to align our lessons with real curriculum standards (TEKS). That means what students learn with SPARK reinforces their classwork and builds upon the passion they already develop while in school.
Point 3: Research
Every part of our approach — from which schools we prioritize to what topics we cover — came from interviews with superintendents, teachers, and school staff, not assumptions from the outside. That research shaped everything we do and the types of activities we provide for students.
Why It Matters
Opportunities shouldn't be blocked by socioeconomic barriers — they should be a right.
Students who don't get hands-on STEM experiences young are far less likely to pursue them later — and for underrepresented and low-income students, that gap starts even earlier and hits even harder. Project SPARK exists to close that gap: giving every child, regardless of their family's financial situation, the chance to build real confidence in science, technology, engineering, and math, and to carry that curiosity with them for years to come. Throughout our surveys conducted at Jamison Middle School, we can proudly say that our students felt a 72% increase in their engagement in STEM and felt more confident about their future!
STEM jobs are growing faster than any other field
Careers in science, technology, engineering, and math are projected to grow far faster than the average U.S. job — which means the students we reach today are preparing for the economy of tomorrow.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2023–2033.
STEM doesn't represent everyone — yet
Black and Hispanic workers make up a smaller share of the STEM workforce than of the overall U.S. workforce. Representation starts early: it begins with who gets hands-on science experiences as a kid.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. government data, 2021.