Students with the STEM Education for Children Foundation shown in Lagos, Nigeria, participate in a hands-on STEM activity. (Photo courtesy of the STEM Education for Children Foundation)

Students with the STEM Education for Children Foundation shown in Lagos, Nigeria, participate in a hands-on STEM activity. (Photo courtesy of the STEM Education for Children Foundation)
PLEASANTON — Niti Jain transformed her passion for STEM into a mission to give students around the world access to the educational opportunities that sparked her own interest.
The rising Foothill High School senior founded STEMDost, a student-led nonprofit that brings hands-on science, technology, engineering and math activities to students with limited access to those opportunities.
STEMDost means “STEM friend,” with “dost” meaning friend in Hindi, Jain said.
“I noticed a lot of students don’t have access to hands-on education around the world, and this discourages them from pursuing STEM,” Jain told The Independent. “I found labs and experiments very helpful from my personal experience at school, so I wanted to give every child the opportunity I got.”
Jain said her experiences in two education systems inspired her to start the nonprofit. She lived in Delhi, India, before moving with her family to Pleasanton at age 8.
“We were expected to read lots of material, memorize it, apply it on the test and then move on,” Jain said. “The lack of hands-on experience could be [discouraging] for [some] students and make it difficult for them to understand how the subjects relate to the real world.”
By contrast, Jain encountered hands-on learning through labs and experiments in her middle and high school science classes in Pleasanton. At Foothill, she applied physics, math and engineering concepts while building robots and machines.
The contrast motivated Jain to launch STEMDost in 2024.
Since then, the nonprofit has directly served more than 100 students in Africa and reached more than 80,000 people through partnerships and educational programs, she said.
The curriculum centers on two-part slide presentations led by high school tutors or teachers. Students first review notes and diagrams before completing an experiment that applies the concepts to the real world.
“STEMDost primarily serves students in elementary and middle school,” Jain said. “The tutors usually present at school clubs, after-school clubs, daycares, libraries and organized in-person events.”
Experiments include making lava lamps, constructing paper gliders, inflating balloons with yeast and exploring electrostatic charge and attraction.
“Our primary goal has always been to make hands-on learning accessible to all students, especially those who are underprivileged and don’t have a lot of opportunities,” Jain said.
Through more than 12 partnerships—with additional collaborations underway—the nonprofit has extended its reach to more than 15 countries, including India, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada.
One of those partnerships is with EquiSTEM International, a youth-led nonprofit based in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago, that expands STEM access through publications, mentorship and collaborative projects. EquiSTEM featured STEMDost in its magazine and on social media.
“Our collaborations with these organizations have greatly expanded our reach and the number of students impacted,” Jain said.
Locally, the 17-year-old leads a team of Foothill students who tutor younger learners, develop slideshows, manage social media and maintain the nonprofit’s website and online forms.
She hopes to expand the initiative’s impact by growing the team and organizing science fairs and workshops while preparing underclassmen to continue the work after she graduates.
Building partnerships outside campus has proved more challenging, Jain said. Still, STEMDost plans to work with the Montessori Learning Center and Little Penguins Academy in Pleasanton and host an in-person workshop for third- through sixth-graders at a Tri-Valley library in August.
In June, Jain also organized TEDxCreekside Park Youth at Foothill High School, bringing together students and other speakers under the theme “The NEXT Tomorrow.”
Inspired by her family, the 17-year-old developed an early interest in STEM. Her parents, who work in information technology and project management, encouraged her to explore the field, while her grandfather was her main inspiration.
“My grandfather was an engineer and wrote more than seven engineering books,” Jain said. “I followed in his footsteps and recently published my first book, ‘Basics of Happy Living.’” The book explores the idea that success comes from living with purpose and contentment rather than money alone. Niti said she wrote it for middle and high school students facing academic stress and competition to show them that there are different paths to happiness and success. She hopes the book encourages students to do their best, feel more confident and live fully. It also serves as another way for her to share her knowledge and connect with others in her community.
After graduating next year, she plans to attend a four-year university and study aerospace or materials engineering, two of her lifelong interests. She also hopes to use the resources and connections she gains in college to recruit volunteers and expand the nonprofit.
“I see myself using the opportunities and connections I gain in college to grow STEMDost even further and expand its reach beyond my original goal of helping students in India and Pleasanton,” she added.
For more information about STEMDost or to volunteer, visit stemdost.wixsite.com/my-site-1.
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