In this week’s episode, I welcome Dr. Shelly Gruenig to the show. Shelly is a homeschool mom of three successful adults, a STEM entrepreneur, and a career coach. During our conversation, we talk about the importance of exposing kids to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) from an early age. Shelly believes that our teenagers want to do hard things, and she has some great suggestions about how to get them engaged. You won’t want to miss Shelly’s “failing forward” philosophy and what she means by helping kids become better than average.
About Dr. Shelly Gruenig
Shelly is a wife, mother, and grandmother, a homeschool mom, STEM Entrepreneur, and motivational speaker and coach. She coaches multiple robotics teams as well as individuals who are working to make radical change to build a better life. Her STEM story begins in rural Illinois, where she was always outside and barefoot exploring the world. In sixth grade her science fair project, The Life Cycle of a Chicken, won her First Place Outstanding – she still has the newspaper clipping to prove it! In college, she pursued a Master’s Degree in College Student Personel and a Ph.D. in Workforce Development but always maintained an interest in science and technology. Later in life as a homeschool mom to three, she began looking for project-based experiences in order to help her kids make career decisions and launch into their best life. That was when she discovered the B.E.S.T. robotics competition and was hooked! After recruiting a few other families in 2005, the team was born and she was excited to teach kids the thrill of safely using power tools and building robots! Over the years, the team would grow and along with it so did her knowledge in STEM. She is proud that the team still currently has 50% girls, something very unusual in STEM programs. At the leading of the students on the team, she launched a business providing STEM camps and classes that would be mentored by members of R4Robotics. That business, Be Greater Than Average LLC is currently busy spreading the love of all things STEM throughout the country. The team and business have conducted thousands of community outreach events and volunteered in support of many STEM functions, but her vision is for more – to reach more STEM teachers, coaches, and students and to create connection with industry in hopes of creating a stronger workforce and economy. In 2016 she established a nonprofit organization, R4Creating to help fulfill that vision and build a legacy to give back to the Southwest.
Episode Highlights
- The Gruenigs’ homeschool journey
- Exploration before making an education choice
- Shelly’s passion for all things STEM
- Turning learners into leaders
- Getting young people excited about STEM
- Exploring career options in everyday life
- Shelly’s STEM Southwest podcast
- Shelly’s advice for parents of teens
Resources
Be Greater Than Average website