It wasn’t a plan. It just happened. Enzo, then age 7, decided to make a video about a praying mantis for a science project. He posted it on YouTube. The video went viral. Before he knew it, he’d been invited to appear on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Note: if you read this article and don’t sample the videos you’ll really miss the point.
By that point, Enzo and his father, Pete Monfre knew they had something. They built a business called Exploration Nation around Enzo and his friends learning and teaching STEM curriculum on-line. The senior Monfre explains that “86 percent of educators are intimidated by teaching science.” Now they are helping teachers make science and math accessible to their middle-grade students.
The kids who participate in the videos are not fed scripts, rather they are expected to learn the material and become the teachers, bringing science to life for the students exposed to their content.
The lessons are centered on the videos, which are all available online for streaming in HD or can be purchased on DVDs.
Monfre is quick to point out that “this isn’t television. This is educational programming that just looks like television,” he says.
The Exploration Nation team is working to produce a video about Central America where they will also be doing a service expedition to help the Rama People with much needed medical care. The expedition will run From April 2 to April 16 and will include four surgeons and a team of other medical personnel. As usual, the expedition will be led by Enzo and some friends, Emma and Haley.
The expedition will be documented with plenty of contrived drama to be used in the classroom. Even more exciting is that they will do a live daily broadcast so classrooms around the country—around the world—can see what is going on.
In order to complete the expedition, Exploration Nation is working to raise money through a crowdfunding campaign on RocketHub.com.
For this article, I reached out to RocketHub CEO Brian Meece, who said, “We're excited about Exploration Nation's mission to inspire kids to pursue science. Through this project, Mr. Monfre is giving the ability for young students to see their peers collaborating with special forces veterans and surgeons - on a dynamic mission deep into the jungles of Nicaragua. What's also pretty amazing is that this project is funded "by the people" as opposed to endowments, grants, or governments - giving communities the ability to join the journey and watch the adventure unfold.”
On a separate note, there is one day left to vote for your favorite social enterprise or nonprofit in the Hand Up for Social Good Award competition!
Please help me continue this conversation by commenting below, on Twitter at @devindthorpe and on Facebook, Google+ and my personal website yourmarkontheworld.com. Let’s do some good!
