Last year, STEMpowering taught more than 50 students in grades K–8 from five states during a four-week virtual summer camp, introducing topics ranging from computer science to electrical engineering. They also raised over $1,000, including a grant from GoFundMe.org to distribute STEM kits to local nonprofit organizations and Boys & Girls Clubs.
Kabat was inspired to create STEMpowering after observing disparities in STEM preparation among other students his age. “I go to a specialized high school for engineering, where out of 48 students, most come from just two or three towns in all of Morris County,” Kabat explained. “When I looked closer, I saw that STEM curriculums differ significantly from school to school, and students don’t get equal opportunities to explore STEM before high school.”
Determined to level the playing field, Kabat built STEMpowering to give young children access to advanced STEM subjects so they’re not left behind before they even get started. He began by assembling a team of like-minded peers—Sahaj Bhandari, Anirudh Venkatesan, Theron Wang, John Ferdinandi, and Rishi Puzhakkal. Together they developed curricula for subjects including CAD, electronics, and computer science, and promoted the summer program through local parent networks and social‑media groups including Facebook and WhatsApp, and more than doubled their original registration goal.
At first, Kabat was skeptical about his ability to simplify advanced electronics for young students. However, he quickly saw the students succeeding, and even solving problems in real time. Kabat recalls when one of his students caught his mistake during a virtual circuit demonstration. “I remember setting up the circuit in advance, but when I ran the simulation, the light bulb did not turn on. Before I could even diagnose the problem, one of my students unmuted and reminded me to make sure that all the wires were plugged back into ground. Sure enough, that fixed the circuit. Right then I knew we succeeded in our mission—not just teaching but empowering our students to think critically.”
At the end of the summer, STEMpowering received considerable positive feedback from families. “Our son learned a lot from these classes!” one parent said. Another shared, “Thank you so much for these sessions. Looking forward to seeing what else STEMpowering has to offer.”
STEMpowering continues to grow, with its second camp planned for this summer. Kabat and the team also hope to expand their STEM kit initiative and launch a free STEM competition. To learn more or get involved, visit stempowering.org or follow @stempowering.us on Instagram.
About Tatva Kabat
Tatva Kabat is a junior at the Academy for Math, Science, and Engineering in Rockaway, NJ, where he serves as Vice President of the Computer Science Club and President of the Physics Club. A two‑time NJAAPT Physics Olympics medalist (1st place 2023, 3rd place 2025), he also conducts material science research at NJIT and electrical engineering research at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Kabat tutors at Mathnasium and has volunteered more than 100 hours with Pathways for Exceptional Children, earning the President’s Volunteer Service Award from the Montville Town Council. He hopes to become a mechanical and aerospace engineer, and one day build propulsion systems for rockets at NASA.
Media Contact
Tatva Kabat
STEMpowering
stempowering.team@gmail.com