In the field of science and technology education, there is a special group of "school selectors" - highly educated parents from top universities such as Tsinghua University, Jiaotong University, Zhejiang University, and University of Science and Technology of China, who have deep expertise in different fields such as semiconductors, engineering, and higher education. They have rational judgments and stringent standards for education that far exceed the average. When choosing science and technology enlightenment institutions for their children, they invariably set their sights on STEM STAR.

Years of dedication and unwavering trust, these highly educated families have made the most authentic choice, confirming STEM STAR's core strength in the field of STEM science and innovation education.

1. Rational choice: A set of courses covering all dimensions of scientific enlightenment

For highly educated parents, educational choices are never made out of following trends, but based on precise judgments of future trends and long-term planning for their children's growth.

Mr. Liu, a doctor of engineering from Tsinghua University and a senior expert in the semiconductor industry, is the father of twin daughters. After investigating almost all mainstream programming and science and technology innovation institutions in Shanghai, he and his wife, who majored in art, jointly decided to enroll their children in STEM STAR. "Semiconductor is a typical engineering high-tech industry, involving knowledge from multiple fields such as materials, physics, chemistry, and mathematics. In the era of artificial intelligence, the foundation in mathematics, physics, and chemistry determines the ceiling of a child's future."

What impressed him most about STEM STAR wasIntegrate into a comprehensive curriculum system that encompasses interdisciplinary knowledge such as physics, chemistry, and biology at a young age"Middle and upper grades can provide children with a good entry point for scientific enlightenment, paving the way for future learning after school. Moreover, the underlying foundation of STEM education actually includes artistic elements, which can complement my wife's field of expertise in a way that other single-coding institutions cannot match.".

Equally impressed by the curriculum system was Zhang, a master's student from the University of Science and Technology of China. "During the trial class, I realized that the biggest advantage of STEM STAR is its closed-loop model of 'knowledge + practice' - the first half teaches scientific knowledge, while the second half involves hands-on building practice. There's no need to enroll children in additional Lego training institutions, as one set of courses addresses both needs.".

For my daughter, who has a natural passion for science popularization and always buys the "All Things" magazine every issue, this approach of "learning through doing and doing through learning" perfectly aligns with her interests.

II. Visible Growth: Beyond Knowledge, It's a Comprehensive Improvement in Overall Abilities

At STEM STAR, what children gain is never just a single programming skill, but core competencies for the future, such as logical thinking, practical ability, communication skills, and team collaboration.

Mr. Wang, a graduate of Zhejiang University, started learning C language when he was in the ninth grade. He is well aware of the tediousness and difficulty of traditional programming learning. "Back then, learning programming was like reading hieroglyphics. Nowadays, children learn graphical programming and programming combined with physical objects, and the learning feedback mechanism is much faster." After his son Oscar studied at STEM STAR for one and a half years, what surprised him most was the improvement in focus - "He can stay focused throughout the two-hour class, and every time after class, he can generously show me the results and clearly explain the execution tasks of each programming statement."

As a father with an engineering background, Mr. Wang has a clear understanding of the future: "In the era of artificial intelligence, humans must either dominate machines or be dominated by machines. Merely knowing how to program software is not enough; hands-on ability with hardware is equally crucial. STEM STAR precisely addresses the shortcoming of insufficient hands-on practice courses in primary school education, preserving and stimulating children's innate love for hands-on activities.".

Ms. Long, a graduate of the Communication University of China and an EMBA student at China Europe International Business School, places greater emphasis on building her child's knowledge system. "During weekdays, my child learns a lot about Chinese, math, and foreign languages at home. The STEM STAR science and innovation knowledge system is very comprehensive and serves as a good supplement." What impressed her most is that after completing the science and innovation courses, her child would proactively discuss the scientific principles in science fiction movies and the mechanical structures of amusement facilities with her. "When I take him out to play, it feels like I'm back in middle school, learning together with him again.".

III. From classroom to competition: giving every child a chance to shine

Good education not only imparts knowledge but also provides children with a platform to showcase and challenge themselves. The rich competition system of STEM STAR has become the best touchstone for children's growth.

The mother of Shù *Jǐng, a graduate of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, has been a loyal user of STEM STAR for 7 years. Her son has been studying at STEM STAR since he entered kindergarten in 2018, progressing from the initial exploratory hands-on courses to Scratch, and now to Python, without interruption. "My child has never felt any pressure from learning; instead, he finds it very interesting. This is inseparable from the guidance of the teachers, but more importantly, it is also due to the various competition opportunities provided by the institution, allowing him to truly apply what he has learned."

Over the past seven years, the child has participated in numerous competitions such as the VEX GO Robotics Competition and the Lanqiao Cup, achieving numerous impressive results. "When he first participated in a large-scale competition in kindergarten, he was very nervous. Now, when he takes Python classes with students in third and fourth grade, he can actively discuss different problem-solving methods with the teacher, and his logical thinking is much deeper than his peers. What's more surprising is that the spirit of inquiry cultivated through programming learning has also greatly benefited his studies in mathematics and Chinese language at school.".

Mrs. Shi, a mother from a university in Shanghai, has two children studying at STEM STAR. Her introverted and inarticulate elder daughter, encouraged by her teacher, can now confidently share her works in front of the camera; her younger brother, whose positive attitude towards competitions was noticed by his teacher, performed exceptionally well in the VEX GO competition, giving the whole family a great surprise. "Last year, the two siblings won an award in their first participation in the Youth Innovation Competition. The ranking is not important; what matters most is that they accumulated experience, honed their mentality, and found their confidence in this process."

The essence of education is to ignite a flame, not to fill a container.

From Tsinghua University to the University of Science and Technology of China, from semiconductor experts to university teachers, these highly educated parents have made a common choice, which stems from STEM STAR's commitment to the essence of science and technology education - not to cultivate "tool people" who only know how to write code, but to nurture future citizens with scientific thinking, innovation ability, and comprehensive qualities.

At STEM STAR, every child's curiosity is cherished, and every spark is noticed. This, is the best education.

Note: This article mentionsinterviewThe characters are all parents of real students from STEM STAR