THRIVEcast - Focused on Flint Kids Thriving
Aug 17, 2026 · 13 min · 10 segments
In this episode of THRIVEcast, we talk with Flint native Jonathan Blanchard, founder of STEMletics, about using sports and technology to make STEM education engaging for students. From basketball…
Jonathan BlanchardGuest
Dawn HibbardHost
Can you tell us some stories about the students that you work with? I mean, do you ever get to see the aha moment when you can almost see the light bulb go on over their heads when they begin to understand one of the concepts that you're teaching them, math or physics, as it relates to what they're physically doing on the basketball court or whatever athletics they're playing in?
And that's the beauty behind the program is that, you know, we're teaching them and they're not really knowing that they're learning science and math.
And so it's interesting when, you know, they make a shot and it's like, oh, you know, the science of how high my arc should be actually impacts my shooting percentage.
And then, you know, when they're making more shots, now they're starting to get even more engaged and interested into the science behind, you know, the sport.
And so and even with the math, you know, concepts that students usually struggle with.
It's interesting to see once you change their perspective on, you know, how to approach those concepts.
And so, you know, when it comes down to multiplication, you know, for fractions, you know, seeing them break down their stats into these concepts.
You know, they're just getting It's more lecture-based, right? They're getting taught something, they're in a seat, so they're not moving around.
And it can be, you know, boring, you know, quote-unquote boring for students.
But in this way, again, they're up, they're moving, you know, they're getting that exercise, that movement, as well as learning these concepts, again, in a way that kind of blends in naturally with something that they enjoy to do, which is playing sports.
They figure out that arc on the basketball, and then they have an understanding of what you're talking about.
Can you tell us some stories about the students that you work with? I mean, do you ever get to see the aha moment when you can almost see the light bulb go on over their heads when they begin to understand one of the concepts that you're teaching them, math or physics, as it relates to what they're physically doing on the basketball court or whatever athletics they're playing in?
And that's the beauty behind the program is that, you know, we're teaching them and they're not really knowing that they're learning science and math.
And so it's interesting when, you know, they make a shot and it's like, oh, you know, the science of how high my arc should be actually impacts my shooting percentage.
And then, you know, when they're making more shots, now they're starting to get even more engaged and interested into the science behind, you know, the sport.
And so and even with the math, you know, concepts that students usually struggle with.
It's interesting to see once you change their perspective on, you know, how to approach those concepts.
And so, you know, when it comes down to multiplication, you know, for fractions, you know, seeing them break down their stats into these concepts.
You know, they're just getting It's more lecture-based, right? They're getting taught something, they're in a seat, so they're not moving around.
And it can be, you know, boring, you know, quote-unquote boring for students.
But in this way, again, they're up, they're moving, you know, they're getting that exercise, that movement, as well as learning these concepts, again, in a way that kind of blends in naturally with something that they enjoy to do, which is playing sports.
They figure out that arc on the basketball, and then they have an understanding of what you're talking about.
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