10-year-old Ava N. Simmons (aka Ava the STEM Princess®) and her sister Chynah Jeter of Durham, North Carolina, have partnered with retailers across the U.S. and Canada to launch their Team Genius Squad educational STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Toy Line. Their products include Experiment Coloring Books, DIY Slime, and Experiment Kits that make electricity from alternative sources such as food, wind, and the sun. Their first in-store launch took place at Marbles PlayStore in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, and they plan to conduct more in-store launches at major retailers over the next 12 months.
“Once Marbles PlayStore partnered with Team Genius Squad, it paved the way for other retail partnerships. We greatly appreciate Marbles PlayStore for believing in our brand and the quality of our products,” said Chynah.
They created Team Genius Squad during the pandemic when Ava was diagnosed with Dyslexia, significantly impacting her reading ability. To support her learning journey, and with the help of her parents (Tia and Terrence Simmons) and grandmother (Mary Foy), Ava began to make STEM experiment videos on YouTube. Not only did her reading and math skills improve through skit writing and developing eye-catching experiments, but there was also an overwhelming response from the community.
