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<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-atencio-peng/?originalSubdomain=ca&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-idea-lab-kids-franchisees-are-recognizing-international-women-in-engineering-day-2716049" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Anna Atencio</a>, owner of <a href="https://idealabkids.com/location/calgary/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-idea-lab-kids-franchisees-are-recognizing-international-women-in-engineering-day-2716049" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">IDEA Lab Kids Calgary</a>, and Tinu Arowojolu, owner of <a href="https://idealabkids.com/location/howard-county/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-idea-lab-kids-franchisees-are-recognizing-international-women-in-engineering-day-2716049" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">IDEA Lab Kids Howard County</a>, Maryland both share a passion for teaching children STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) in a fun, creative way with <a href="https://franchise.idealabkids.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-idea-lab-kids-franchisees-are-recognizing-international-women-in-engineering-day-2716049" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">IDEA Lab Kids</a>, a 25-unit education franchise leader in the growing STEAM education space. And as two of the brand’s strongest female franchisees, they also recognize how important it is to foster a love for STEAM subjects in young girls and empower them to pursue a career in disciplines that currently has a major gender gap.In honor of <a href="https://www.inwed.org.uk/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-idea-lab-kids-franchisees-are-recognizing-international-women-in-engineering-day-2716049" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">International Women in Engineering Day</a>, Atencio and Arowojolu shared why it’s important to recognize women in the STEAM disciplines and how IDEA Lab Kids strives to create opportunities for women in the STEAM disciplines with its hands-on, fun-filled programs.<h4>Why These Female Franchisees Chose IDEA Lab Kids</h4>Born in Colombia and raised in Venezuela, Atencio obtained a master’s degree in engineering and moved to Mexico to pursue her career before later exploring opportunities that would give her more flexibility. As an engineer and a mother of two, she wanted to find a business opportunity that encourages children to explore the STEM field.IDEA Lab Kids was the perfect fit. “I liked IDEA Lab Kids because it was the first time I had seen the arts in a STEM program,” she said. “My husband and I took our kids to one of the classes, visited one of the centers and the concept really resonated with us. As I watched my kids engage with the class, I thought, ‘Wow, they are learning how to think like an engineer.’”With a background in information technology and teaching, Arowojolu appreciated that IDEA Lab Kids prioritizes forward-thinking curriculums in its programs.“I specifically looked into franchises in the IT and education industries,” she said. “I loved how IDEA Lab Kids brings STEAM into a fun environment so children can build on their interests in a fun way.”<h4>Why They Believe Women in the STEAM Disciplines Should Be Recognized</h4>The STEM industry is undoubtedly male-dominated. According to the United States Census Bureau, only <a href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/01/women-making-gains-in-stem-occupations-but-still-underrepresented.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-idea-lab-kids-franchisees-are-recognizing-international-women-in-engineering-day-2716049" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">27%</a> of STEM workers are female.Atencio personally experienced this gap during her time as an engineer. “In my country, when I started working 20 years ago, many of my peers were women. It was very balanced,” she said. “But it was a shock when I went to Mexico. It was very male-dominated there. They usually asked me, ‘Are you a secretary?’ Because of this, women tend to lack confidence in their abilities.”Atencio advises women in the STEAM disciplines to embrace their roles as leaders. She believes they have an opportunity to illustrate their dedication if they just believe in themselves. “Women have very critical minds,” she said. “We are passionate about what we do, and that shouldn’t go unnoticed.”Arowojolu believes all industries should strive for gender equality. “I don’t think any career should be male- or female-dominated,” she said. “And kids need to be able to identify with women in STEAM.”<h4>How IDEA Lab Kids Inspires Young Girls to Pursue Careers in STEAM</h4>IDEA Lab Kids strives to help kids explore engineering and other STEAM disciplines through engaging classes, camps and workshops, which also provide opportunities to <a href="https://1851franchise.com/lyricoslearning/how-female-business-owners-succeed-in-steam-with-idea-lab-kids-2715200#stories">encourage young girls to take an interest</a> in programs that will set them up for success in the future.&nbsp;At Atencio’s location, she tries to instill confidence in her female students from a young age. “At the age of 12 or 13, girls start doubting themselves, and sometimes they feel they can’t do things that boys do,” she said. “In my program, I expose them to creative STEAM activities at an early age, and foster those ideas in them and inspire them.”Atencio encourages all of her students — especially her young girls — to pursue the subject they enjoy the most. “We encourage them to use their creativity even if they’re not going to pursue a career in STEAM,” she added. “We teach them logic, reasoning and critical thinking. We encourage them to think about things in different ways. But most importantly, we need to make them more confident in themselves when they’re little.”Arowojolu believes her IDEA Lab Kids female teachers are inspiring role models for her female students. “A lot of our teachers are women. It’s nice to be able to see someone who majored in education teach STEM projects,” she said. “And it’s great for younger girls to see that there’s representation in STEM. It shows young girls that they can do it, too.”For Atencio, Arowojolu and IDEA Lab Kids as a whole, their goal is to support the future careers of young women and empower them to be strong leaders.“Women bring different outlooks and innovative thought processes into the STEAM field, and it’s so important to show young girls that they can pursue their dreams and have a voice,” said Devina Bhojwani, IDEA Lab Kids’ co-owner and president. “I’m proud of all of our franchisees for inspiring their students through STEAM-based education.”The startup costs for an IDEA Lab Kids franchise range from $98,100 to $271,000. The franchise fee is $35,500. To learn more about franchising with IDEA Lab Kids, visit <a href="https://www.franchise.idealabkids.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-idea-lab-kids-franchisees-are-recognizing-international-women-in-engineering-day-2716049" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.franchise.idealabkids.com.</a>&nbsp;

How IDEA Lab Kids’ Franchisees Are Recognizing International Women in Engineering Day

1851 Franchise

These two female leaders share why it’s important for young children to celebrate women in the male-dominated STEAM disciplines.

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Edmonton, Canada, has seen a&nbsp;<a href="https://edmontonglobal.ca/news/canadas-fastest-growing-metro-the-edmonton-region/">sharp population increase</a>, growing 3% from July 2024 to July 2025, the fastest rate in the country. The pressure is also evident in local schools, where enrollment has&nbsp;<a href="https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/school-space-cant-keep-up-with-growing-edmonton-public-student-population">risen by 50% over the past 12 years</a>. With more students in classrooms, STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) can be harder to fit in, which is part of the reason supplemental programs like&nbsp;<a href="https://franchise.idealabkids.com/">IDEA Lab Kids</a> have become a resource for local families. That growing demand for enrichment is what led local entrepreneur&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-baker-048a2065/">Ryan Baker</a> to get involved.&nbsp;“We never had IDEA Lab Kids in the Edmonton area,” said&nbsp;<a href="http://linkedin.com/in/devina-bhojwani-3452053">Devina Bhojwani,</a> president and co-founder of IDEA Lab Kids. “Now, all of our classes are at capacity or running close to it. Our franchisee is running such a strong, quality program.”&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/lyricoslearning/info">IDEA Lab Kids</a> in Edmonton is led by Baker, who spent more than a decade working in the oil and gas sector before moving into more corporate, business development and M&amp;A-style work. Several years ago, he decided to resign from that career and start his own series of businesses. He wanted to invest in a franchise as one of those businesses, while also starting his own company and eventually acquiring other businesses. When he began looking at franchise opportunities, he came across IDEA Lab Kids by chance.&nbsp;“We were in Houston visiting some good friends of ours who had relocated there from Alberta, and went to an IDEA Lab Kids birthday party at one of the locations in the greater Houston area,” Baker said. “Coincidentally, I happened to be in the market looking for something to invest in and it aligned very nicely with some of my business guiding principles. I love the concept and really felt that it would fill a gap here in our community.”Baker opened the Edmonton center in July 2024 after seeing room for a different kind of enrichment option. At the time, many local programs were centered on technology and STEM. IDEA Lab Kids expanded that focus through STEAM, bringing the arts into the mix.One of the biggest areas of adoption for the program in this region has come from its ability to support schools. Baker explained that STEAM is highly inclusive, allowing IDEA Lab Kids to offer a wide range of experiences.“We have four or five different rooms that serve different programs, like a coding room, which holds tech robotics classes. We have a cooking room that's more like a kitchen,” said Bhojwani. “There's a wide variety, and there's something for everybody. So, a family with two different kids and two different varied interests can almost find anything that they're looking for at the IDEA Lab Kids Edmonton.”<h2>The Ways IDEA Lab Kids Supports Schools in Edmonton</h2>In a classroom of 30 or more students, it can be challenging for teachers to provide the kind of small-group, hands-on engagement that deeper STEAM exploration requires. And when school systems are stretched, teachers are often expected to take on a wide range of responsibilities, particularly in early elementary years, where the primary focus is on reading and math. Rather than viewing it as a gap, Baker sees it more as a resource challenge that makes it difficult to fully empower each child to explore topics in depth.“We’ve had tremendous success in the Edmonton area partnering with schools to support curriculum,” Baker said. “That includes opportunities to work alongside educators, offer unique in-school field trip-style experiences and launch in-school residency programs. We’re running lunchtime STEAM clubs and have already completed a full in-school residency where IDEA Lab instructors were present every day for several weeks, supplementing science curriculum for grade four, five and six students during class time. It’s not extracurricular, it’s fully integrated and aligned with the provincial curriculum.”When funding is available through schools or parent associations, these partnerships can help enhance subject areas and give students more opportunities than they might typically receive in a standard classroom setting.One approach IDEA Lab Kids uses is bringing in trained staff to lead hands-on STEAM instruction directly in schools, allowing educators to supplement their curriculum with interactive experiences. Another option allows schools to license IDEA Lab Kids’ curriculum for their own teachers to use. The curriculum is designed to make implementation easier through a video-based format.&nbsp;“It’s kind of like a Netflix for education,” Bhojwani said. “The facilitator plays the video, but it’s not passive. Every minute or so, there’s a pause built in where the facilitator asks questions and keeps the class engaged, and then it moves into the hands-on portion of the activity.”Baker wants more children to have access to hands-on STEM learning, even if their school or neighborhood has fewer resources. He has also worked with local schools on giveback programs. When families use a partner school’s code to sign up for camp, part of the fee goes back to the school’s parent association.<h2>IDEA Lab Kids is Growing in Edmonton</h2>IDEA Lab Kids is in an exciting phase of growth, with several new initiatives in St. Albert and Edmonton. The biggest one is the upcoming launch of IDEA Lab STEAM Preschool this fall.&nbsp;“This will be a fully licensed preschool with a dedicated STEAM focus, which is something we believe is a first for our area,” Baker said. “Most local preschool options are tied to childcare centers, with only a small handful of independent niche programs, so this represents a meaningful step forward in early learning here.”&nbsp;In addition, Baker is launching an after-school STEAM Academy this fall, which pairs structured, instructor-led enrichment programming with direct school pickup three to five days a week.“To my knowledge, this is a first-of-its-kind offering in the St. Albert and Edmonton area,” Baker said. “While school pickup and transportation are typically limited to childcare centers, we are redefining that model by using it to give families access to meaningful, skills-based after-school experiences without having to be a daycare.”<h2>How Franchisees Like Ryan Baker Make a Difference</h2>One of the reasons Baker has done so well in his market is his involvement in the local community. Rather than approaching marketing in a traditional sense, he views it as an extension of relationship-building.“I would say marketing success has come from connecting with the families and getting familiar with the schools,” he said. “We're in a business that provides educational enrichment for children. Your primary market is the schools. Those are where all of your potential customers are. That's where all of your potential families are. So I have focused a lot of time and attention on making sure that we cater to the schools.”Trust is very important in a children’s enrichment business since parents are deciding where to send their children and invest time and money. As a parent himself, Baker understands the importance of feeling confident and safe in those decisions.“Ryan is very aware of his customers' needs,” Bhojwani said. “I think that speaks to how strong a franchise should be, just being aware of the needs in your environment in your market. Edmonton might be different than Calgary or Calgary might be different compared with Toronto. All our markets serve a different niche and Ryan is definitely doing a great job.”ABOUT LYRICOS® LEARNING, LLC:Lyricos® Learning, LLC is the home to IDEA Lab Kids and is also the creator of STEAM on Demand, a leading provider of streaming interactive content and tools for planning and leading standards-aligned, engaging and fun TK-8 STEAM hands-on lessons.ABOUT STEAM ON DEMAND®:STEAM on Demand® is a technology platform that offers science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) interactive lessons “on demand” which are designed to be used in a collaborative classroom setting or online. Hundreds of interactive video lessons have been developed as part of the platform’s core content. These kid-tested videos spotlight topics that align with national and state level curriculum standards across all STEAM subjects and guide teachers and students through hands-on projects. Also included is access to a variety of coding pathways for students of all levels. The platform provides all the content and tools needed to plan and conduct entire afterschool programs.ABOUT IDEA LAB® KIDS:IDEA Lab® Kids was founded as a way for kids to explore their love of science, technology, engineering, art and math subjects. The award-winning Houston-based education franchise system offers after-school classes, camps, birthday parties, open labs and much more to children. The brand has positioned itself to be a leader in the growing STEAM education space with franchises in the U.S., Canada and internationally. IDEA Lab Kids franchises are only offered or sold in states where they are registered or compliant with applicable franchise laws.The franchise fee of $35,500 provides an assigned territory for establishing a location and for offering IDEA Lab On-the-GoSM. The startup costs for an IDEA Lab Kids franchise can range from $163,000 to $465,000. To learn more about franchising with IDEA Lab Kids, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/lyricoslearning/info.">https://1851franchise.com/lyricoslearning/info.</a>&nbsp;

IDEA Lab Kids Franchisee Ryan Baker Is Filling the Gap for STEAM in Edmonton 

IDEA Lab Kids has seen an overwhelming response in the Canadian city where franchisee Ryan Baker has built partnerships with schools and families to expand access to hands-on STEAM education.

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