Photo Courtesy of Tita M. Simmons / Instagram
Ava N. Simmons, a 10-year-old S.T.E.M. genius and entrepreneur from North Carolina, is one to watch out for.
Ava, the brains behind the Team Genius Squad, Inc., launched the Team Genius Squad S.T.E.M. Toy Line, which comprises products geared towards making S.T.E.M. education fun and informational for children who struggle with classroom material like Ava.
Ultimately, the 10-year-old’s altruism landed her a partnership with Raleigh, NC-based company Marbles PlayStore and other retail stores worldwide. Now, millions of children have access to T.G.S.’ Experiment Coloring Books, D.I.Y. Slime kits and Experiment kits that teach children how to generate electricity using at-home items like food and sun.
“Once Marbles PlayStore partnered with Team Genius Squad, it paved the way for other retail partnerships,” Chynah told Black News. “We greatly appreciate Marbles PlayStore for believing in our brand and the quality of our products.”
Dubbed Ava The S.T.E.M. Princess®, the 10-year-old’s journey to creating Team Genius Squad began with educational and social struggles. Ava performed poorly in the classroom, dampening her social life since classmates would tease and exclude her because she struggled to understand the material.
But Ava took matters into her own hands and decided to discover ways she learned best. Fusing her creative and genius sides, Ava The S.T.E.M. Princess® uncovered a form of learning unbeknownst to her.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the 10-year-old created educational YouTube tutorials, like D.I.Y. hand sanitizers, garnering over 100,000 views. That fun video stretched into a series, and soon, Ava shared her fun ways of learning with thousands of people. The YouTube channel expanded to her creating S.T.E.M.-inspired products, from lip gloss and jewelry to lab boats and puzzles.
Ava developed a love for helping children like her find joy in learning.
“I am so grateful to be able to design and develop educational toys that positively impact the community,” Ava shared. “My goal is to share my learning journey and, through purposeful play, encourage others never to let their challenges define their success or future. I am so thankful for everyone who supports Team Genius Squad.”
Shop now from Team Genius Squad or donate.