CLIENT AND PROJECT
Inventing Tomorrow
SERVICES
Fundraising
Project Design
Teacher Training
Materials Developement
THE CHALLENGE
Inventing Tomorrow, a Peabody Award-winning documentary about the world’s largest science fair, and the youth that conduct projects related to environmental science for the global competition, broadcast nationally on the signature PBS series P.O.V.. IMP was tasked with developing and implementing a national STEM education program and securing funding for that project.
THE PROCESS
IMP worked with the filmmakers and STEM educators to craft a national teacher training project to enhance STEM education, created a detailed fundraising proposal, and pitched the project to funders. IMP later managed the rollout of the project, the beginning of which coincided with the onset of the COVID pandemic, requiring dramatic pivots to our methods and activities.
THE RESULTS
IMP secured more than $1 million in funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to support a program of teacher training for primary and secondary school STEM educators that focused on environmental science and climate change.
The program, created and implemented by IMP, trained a group of education facilitators, and delivered more than 50 teacher trainings in partnership with the educational programs of PBS stations across the country—each of whom have deep relationships with their local school districts.
More than 1,000 teachers participated in these trainings, which included access to professional development materials, lesson plans and the film itself, along with stipends for their participation, which were provided with the funding from HHMI.
IMP was presented with the additional challenge of delivering this project during the COVID pandemic. The trainings were originally designed as in-person sessions convened by PBS stations in partnership with school districts; IMP re-tooled the entire project for online delivery, requiring updated materials, curricula, and the recruitment of national professional development educators able to deliver training remotely—a relatively new context for that time.