MINDDRIVE's mission is to explore, inspire and expand possibilities through equitable access to support, education, collaboration and mentoring, so all students recognize, believe in and pursue their greatest potential. 

Working With Role Models

Since 2010 MINDDRIVE has offered STEM project-based, experiential learning programs to over 1,000 underserved urban teens out of school and during the school day, providing pathways to post-secondary training, certification and/or education. Students learn metal fabrication, electric vehicle systems, steering design, braking, automotive design, robotics, drone technology and much more at our state-of-the-art facility located in the Kansas City urban core at Holmes and 26th street or at Operation Breakthrough's Ignition Lab at 31st and Troost.

Our students work with adult role models to acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

100% Graduation

Since 2018 MINDDRIVE has collaborated with public charter schools for school-day STEM classes at our facility, with credits toward graduation. The number of daytime students has increased sevenfold from 35 in 2018 to 250-plus today.

Expanding STEM education opportunities in under resourced communities is key to helping young people rise out of poverty and to bridging the ethnic and gender gaps found in STEM professions. Through mentoring, opportunities for pro-social involvement, and project-based STEM learning, underserved and at-risk urban youth expand their vision of the future, build resiliency, avoid risky behaviors and achieve positive physical and mental health adult outcomes. One hundred percent of our seniors graduate high school, compared to the average graduation rate of 70% for the schools they attend.

Locations

Click on the window icon (upper right corner) of the map below to expand. List of all program locations is included with expanded view of map. Locations are also listed on this page below the map.