Deena and Mike Antiporda with their sons as founders of Inspired by Science joined by their Volunteer Staff for Summer STEM Camp-2014.

Our Mission

The purpose of the organization is to promote STEM education at the elementary school level in hopes of inspiring students to pursue education and careers in STEM-related fields.

Who We Are

Inspired by Science is the only non-profit organization in Carlsbad, New Mexico, that is dedicated to STEM education of our youth. We created this charitable organization in 2013. It all began when our oldest son (who was in second grade at the time) was so fascinated by science that he would ask me to do science experiments with him. As a mom, I always wanted to encourage learning so I started looking up activities online. I was so intrigued by the outcome of these experiments that I loved science more than ever! I became inspired to create an after school science club at his elementary school so that other kids would have an opportunity to enjoy hands-on activities. The club was so popular with the kids year after year, that I decided to do more. Inspired by Science was created through the Carlsbad Community Foundation, helping us to receive donations and grants so that our first summer STEM camp could be created. In 2014, we hosted our first camp on the campus of NMSU-Carlsbad, which broke attendance records for NMSU Carlsbad’s Community Education Program. We love science and sharing it with children, lighting a spark that leads them to further exploration and strengthens their critical thinking skills. Since then, it has remained our main event each year.

My two inspirations today: my son Logan who loves science endlessly and Therese, who was principal when I asked to start an after school science club. Both are still involved in our organization today!

Inspired by Science Today

The Carlsbad Community Foundation served as our fiscal sponsor from 2013 until January 2020 when Inspired by Science became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. As a public charity, the organization is able to accept tax deductible donations, is tax exempt in the State of New Mexico, and is governed by a Board of Directors.

Current Board of Directors: Michele Robertson (Vice President), Lisa Nesbit (Treasurer), Deena Antiporda (President and Executive Director), Susan Siepel (Secretary), Deborah Beard (Member), and Therese Rodriguez (Member).

This year we are celebrating 10 fun-filled years of inspiring kids and witnessing their “Ah-ha!” moments. In addition to our Carlsbad Summer STEM Camp, we’ve expanded in many ways:

  • Various STEM Workshops throughout the year
  • Family Lab Partner Workshops, encouraging families to participate together
  • Summer STEM Camp in Artesia, NM
  • Collaboration with the Carlsbad Public Library’s STEM Club
  • Youth Leadership Team
  • Educational table at elementary school science nights
  • Presentations/demonstrations at community events

Donations and grants received help us to keep our registration fees low or even free for these events. For our summer camp in Carlsbad, we have a waiver program that allows selected youth to attend for free. Our goal is to make sure that all children have the same opportunity to participate in our workshops and camps.We are so grateful for the support we receive! Please see Sponsorships for more information about donating.

Impact of Our Program

We have impacted over 10,000 kids since we started in 2013! We are excited about the future and all the kids we will get to teach about STEM and the world we live in. We believe kids learn best by doing so we create challenging hands-on activities to encourage the development of problem solving and critical thinking skills. We want kids to be in awe of what they are discovering, in hopes that this will spark an interest in continuing to learn more.

Inspired by Science Volunteer Staff

Inspired by Science began as a family organization, but has thrived with the help of many dedicated volunteers who have helped make the organization a success. Our volunteers train and prepare for the science activities and ensure our young scientists have a safe, educational, and fun-filled experience. We are very proud of our volunteers and so grateful for their commitment to our program!

Inspired by Science 2023 Camp Staff

About our events: Any reference to camps on our site refers to multi-session youth programs that may be at a community location or hosted virtually on our Web site. Inspired by Science does not host overnight events.