TGR Foundation trains 133 educators through free STEM Studio program

TGR Foundation brought 133 educators into its free STEM Studio professional learning series this summer, with training designed to help teachers bring hands-on STEAM lessons back to classrooms serving more than 17,000 students. The 10-year program expanded across Anaheim, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and online as the foundation added a new inquiry-focused level in 2026.

Why it matters: - TGR Foundation’s free professional learning reaches teachers in under-resourced communities where training of this kind is often hard to access. - The program is aimed at improving how K-12 educators teach science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics through hands-on, student-centered lessons. - Teachers trained through STEM Studio return to classrooms serving more than 17,000 students.

What happened: - TGR Foundation welcomed 133 educators to its STEM Studio professional learning program this summer. - The foundation and DoW STEM hosted 13 STEM Studio sessions in Anaheim, Los Angeles and Philadelphia, along with virtual sessions for educators nationwide. - The summer program delivered 156 hours of training. - Thirty percent of participants joined more than one session.

The details: - STEM Studio is a signature program in TGR Foundation’s national educator professional learning strategy. - The multi-day training is free for educators and valued at more than $400 per participant. - Participants received interactive training, networking, support and instructional materials for classroom use. - Educators in the Los Angeles cohort could earn professional learning credits toward salary advancement. - The series has four levels that build on one another as teachers explore inquiry-based and student-led learning. - In 2026, TGR Foundation added Building Inquiry Innovators as the fourth level of STEM Studio. - In that session, teachers first experience open-ended inquiry as students before developing their own lessons and activities. - The new level also covers eight domains of an entrepreneurial mindset, including curiosity, creativity, problem-solving and adaptability. - Eric Moore, vice president of programs at TGR Foundation, said the goal is to help educators create learning experiences that feel real and relevant to students. - Alex Kezar, a Florence Griffith Joyner Elementary teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District, said the program offers an accessible way to teach STEM despite constraints such as time, curriculum and money.

Between the lines: - The training model is designed to turn classroom teachers into multipliers, since the educators trained this summer collectively serve a large student population. - The new inquiry-focused level suggests TGR Foundation is pushing beyond content delivery and toward deeper problem-solving and entrepreneurial skills. - The foundation is also using professional learning as a long-term investment, not a one-off workshop, by layering support, credits and classroom materials into the program. - Since opening its flagship TGR Learning Lab in Anaheim in 2006, TGR Foundation has provided nearly 7,500 educators across Southern California, Philadelphia and beyond with free professional learning and support.

What's next: - TGR Foundation says educators can learn about upcoming events through its Professional Learning hub. - The foundation will continue using its TGR Learning Labs and education programs to support student success in school, careers and life. - In 2026, TGR Foundation is marking 30 years since its founding by Tiger Woods in 1996. - TGR Foundation says its programs have served more than 217,000 students overall.

The bottom line: - TGR Foundation is scaling free STEAM training as a direct way to strengthen classroom instruction and expand access to hands-on learning for students.