CLEVELAND (July 10, 2025) – Great Lakes Science Center and Fairmount Center for the Arts are proud to announce a new collaborative program designed specifically for homeschool families. Launching this fall at Fairmount’s historic Chardon Square location, the drop-off program will serve students ages 5 to 18 and blend hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) learning with rich, multi-disciplinary arts experiences.
This STEAM initiative invites young learners to explore the world through experimentation, innovation and creative expression—fostering curiosity, critical thinking and collaboration in a dynamic, supportive environment. Each project-based class will be taught by Science Center educators and Fairmount teaching artists.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Great Lakes Science Center to bring a STEAM homeschool program to our space on Chardon Square,” said Fairmount Center for the Arts Executive Director Elizabeth Bolander. “Bringing together experts in STEM and multi-disciplinary arts experiences will allow us to make a program that is project-based and a true intersection of both disciplines, with equal weight on the STEM and the A.”
This fall, both organizations will offer the following programs as part of the debut of their STEAM curriculum:
Fall Session 1: Color, Light, & Sound
September 3 - October 21
How do color, light, and sound work? Delve into the worlds of light and shadow, color spectrums, science of sound and more in our first STEAM unit. Younger students will focus on learning the basics through hands-on art and STEM topics, while older students will build upon existing skills and knowledge to tackle more complex topics.
Fall Session 2: Architecture & Engineering
October 22 - December 17
Have you ever wondered how buildings come together? Explore basic to complex structures through art and STEM projects during our second fall unit. Through the lens of engineering, students will explore architecture, perspective, and more.
“Great Lakes Science Center’s collaboration with the Fairmount Center for the Arts is an exciting opportunity to provide STEAM programming to the homeschool communities of Geauga County, Chardon and the surrounding area,” said Science Center President & CEO Kirsten Ellenbogen. “We have been taking our mission to make STEM come alive beyond our lakefront location to libraries, recreation centers and schools for years as part of fulfilling our strategic plan. This partnership is especially exciting because we are complementary organizations who both value high-quality, learner-centered approaches that are attentive to each child’s unique interests, skills and needs.”
Registration for the STEAM programming is now open. For those interested in learning more about the programs or who are ready to register, visit fairmountcenter.org/homeschool. Full and partial scholarships are available through Fairmount Center for the Arts.
About Great Lakes Science Center
Great Lakes Science Center is one of the top 10 museums in the nation as celebrated by the 2025 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award for Best Science Museum. The Science Center hosted Total Eclipse Fest in 2024, one of the largest free eclipse events in the country and is home to the NASA Glenn Visitor Center. The Science Center makes science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) come alive for more than 300,000 visitors a year through hundreds of hands-on exhibits, temporary exhibitions, the Cleveland Clinic DOME Theater, historic Steamship William G. Mather, daily science demonstrations, seasonal camps, and more. The Science Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit institution, earned a 2023 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, a leading provider of insight and data about the non-profit world. The Science Center is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Visit GreatScience.com for more information.
About Fairmount Center for the Arts
The mission of Fairmount Center for the Arts is to enrich lives through the arts. For more than 54 years, Fairmount Center for the Arts has provided a space for individual expression and the opportunity for all to explore the arts through classes, workshops, community performances and cultural programs. For more information or to register for classes, music lessons and special events visit fairmountcenter.org or call (440) 338-3171.
The Fairmount Center for the Arts is supported in part by the Figgie Foundation and Ohio Arts Council (OAC), which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts. The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.