Programs

CuSTEMized uses proceeds from book sales along with your donations to provide free books to underserved communities, run hands-on learning STEM enrichment events, and more! Check out our programs below and see how you can get involved!

See It To Be It Free Book Scholarship Program

CuSTEMized collaborates with families, teachers, and after-school programs to provide free and subsidized personalized books encouraging girls to see themselves in STEM



In our See It To Be It free book scholarship program, we provide teachers from underserved communities free personalized copies of My Little Book of Big Dreams for each child in their classroom. These storybooks use each child’s name and appearance to depict them in different STEM fields so they can truly see themselves in various STEM careers!




Previous scholarship recipients include

  • Haitus due to the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021)
  • 19 books to kids in 1st grade class of teacher Brionne in Alabama (2019/2020)
  • 8 books to kids in Pre-K Special Ed class of teacher Juan in Nevada (2019/2020)
  • 18 to kids in K1 class of teacher Jeannie in Boston (2019/2020)
  • 26 to kids in Title 1 Kindergarten class of teacher Melody (2019/2020)
  • 16 books to kids in afterschool program director Julie (Summer 2018)
  • 22 books to kids in pre-k class of teacher Melody (Summer 2018)
  • 9 books to kids in 1st and 2nd grade classes of teacher Deborah (Winter 2017/2018)
  • 26 books to girls at West End House in collaboration with BU GWISE (Summer 2017)
  • 108 books to 1st and 2nd grade girls across 12 Boston and Cambridge schools in collaboration with Science Club for Girls (Summer 2017)
  • 20 books to kids in pre-k class of teacher Melody (Summer 2017)
  • 18 books to kids in class of teacher Deydania in collaboration with parent Luk (Summer 2017)
  • 20 books to kids in 1st grade class of teacher Rhonda (Winter 2016/2017)
  • 24 books to kids in 2nd grade class of teacher Danielle (Winter 2016/2017)
  • 24 books to kids in 2nd grade class of teacher Stacey (Winter 2016/2017)
  • 18 books to kids in pre-k class of teacher Melody (Summer 2016)

"One of the main goals that I strive for as a teacher is to inspire, empower, and to teach in a progressive way in hopes that students become positive, active members of society. CuSTEMized books could not be a more perfect end of the year gift, as a keepsake, and a reminder that every one of my students has the power to change the world. Parents say they will keep it forever, the principal loves it, my co-workers thought it was such a great idea, my BTSA advisor loved it so much she passed the website along to other teachers, and of course the students loved seeing themselves featured as the main character of the story. I look forward to receiving these books every year!" – Melody (Transitional Kindergarten Teacher)

"My students loved their books and they all came back from break telling me that they loved reading them! They were so excited to see their names in the books. Thank you so much for creating such a wonderful book and allowing my students to see that they can do anything if they put their mind to it!" - Stacey (2nd grade teacher)

Coloring with CuSTEMized Educational Program

CuSTEMized hosts fun-filled hands-on learning STEM-enrichment events in collaboration with local Boston libraries and organizations!



CuSTEMized holds hands-on STEM-enrichment events in collaboration with local libraries and organizations such as The Innovation Institute, The Harvard Graduate Commons Parent Association, The Newton Free Library, and more. Events feature our personalized books as coloring-activity books, hands-on STEM-enrichment activities, and invited female scientific speakers from the local MIT and Harvard community.



Beyond the Books STEM-enrichment Classes

Our partner The Innovation Institute sparks a life-time of curiosity through hands-on learning STEM experiences and classes with real scientists doing real science.



Like CuSTEMized, The Innovation Institute (Ti2) is inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers. Ti2 strives for STEM education excellence through inspired teaching, inquiry-based learning, and hands-on innovating by having students (ages 5-17) learn alongside professional research scientists and engineers. These passionate instructors serve as learning facilitators, role models, and informal mentors while balancing hands-on science lab experiments and engineering design challenges with round-table discussion. They use an inquiry-based approach across these formats to empower students to lead their own learning. Four well-equipped on-site laboratories reinforce a culture of hands-on learning and interactive inquiry.