CKF’s Flagship STEM Education Program

CurioCrate

A student-led STEM program that turns scientific concepts into hands-on lessons, experiment kits, and classroom activities delivered through YMCA programs, schools, and community organizations.

Developed through CKF’s STEM Division and expanded through student volunteers and community partnerships.

Visit CurioCrate.org

$5,000 Grant Recipient

YMCA

Official Lab Partner

Hands-on STEM labs, youth instruction, and science programming

How CurioCrate Works

From Scientific Concept to Hands-On Program

CKF students develop each activity through lesson design, experiment testing, kit preparation, instructor training, and classroom feedback.

Design the Lesson

Student teams choose a scientific concept and develop an age-appropriate lesson with a clear objective, experiment, and explanation.

Test the Experiment

Volunteers test materials, quantities, timing, and safety procedures before an activity is used with students.

Build the Kit

Materials are organized into reusable kits with lesson guides, supply lists, and notes for student instructors.

Teach, Observe, and Revise

Trained volunteers lead the activity, observe how students respond, and improve the lesson for future sessions and locations.

PROGRAM LEADERSHIP

Daniel Son

President, CurioCrate

Co-Founder & Executive Director, Connect Key Foundation

CKF Co-President, 2024–2025

Daniel leads CurioCrate’s curriculum development, science-kit programming, volunteer training, YMCA instruction, and expansion through CKF’s STEM Division. Working with other student leaders and volunteers, he has helped develop tested experiments, instructional materials, and kit formats that can be used across different locations.

He has also helped organize lesson plans, supply lists, safety procedures, and instructor notes so that volunteers can teach activities consistently. Through repeated testing and classroom feedback, Daniel has worked to make CurioCrate lessons practical, affordable, and adaptable for different age groups and program settings.

Daniel has also helped build relationships with community organizations, schools, school districts, and university-based programs to explore new instructional partnerships and expand CurioCrate’s reach. These efforts include developing possible collaborations around experiential learning, science mentorship, research exposure, and student-led STEM programming.

PROGRAM FOUNDER

Jeongseop Yoon

Founder, CurioCrate

Co-President, Connect Key Foundation

CKF Co-President, 2025–2026

Jeongseop founded CurioCrate in 2023 with the belief that a student's zip code should never determine their access to high-quality, hands-on science education. He helped establish the program's original direction and continues to support its development as CurioCrate expands its lessons, science kits, and community partnerships. As CKF Co-President for 2025–2026, he also helps lead the foundation's current programs, student teams, and organizational growth.

Summer 2026 · Weekly Program

CKF × YMCA Summer STEM

Throughout Summer 2026, CurioCrate student instructors led recurring hands-on STEM sessions through YMCA youth programs. Each week paired an original lesson with a live experiment, small-group mentoring, and opportunities for children to test scientific ideas themselves.

Sessions included chemistry, viscosity and non-Newtonian fluids, dry-ice demonstrations, engineering challenges, and other age-appropriate activities developed and taught by CKF's STEM team.

Weekly sessionsStudent-led instructionOriginal experimentsHands-on learning

Hands-on STEM exploration

YMCA program at full scale

CKF student instructor team

Summer STEM community celebration

External Program

Explore the CurioCrate Program

CurioCrate’s dedicated program site includes science-kit initiatives, instructional resources, videos, and additional information about the students leading the program.

Visit the full CurioCrate program website

Explore CurioCrate.org

Curriculum Areas

Physics · Chemistry · Engineering · Coding · Electronics · Biology · Laboratory Science

Lessons are adapted for different age groups, program lengths, and available materials.

CurioCrate in Action

Summer 2026 STEM Explorers