Students don't just learn STEM. They use it.

Real projects. Real tools. Real-world challenges.

At Orblynx, students in grades 6–12 design, build, test, research, and present solutions across engineering, intelligent systems, regenerative materials, human-centered design, and sustainable communities. Depending on the program, they grow new materials, build assistive devices, engineer working systems, or pursue original research. They leave with something they created and a clearer sense of what they can do next.

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Three Ways In

Start Where You Are

Tell us who you are and we'll point you to the right starting place.

Students programming robots on a city map

For families

Parents & Students

Find the right starting point for your student by grade, interests, and experience.

Find a Program

Students building a project in a school lab

For educators & administrators

Schools & Districts

Bring authentic, project-based STEM learning into classrooms and scale it across schools with curriculum, educator training, and year-round support.

Explore School & District Partnerships

Orblynx students during their visit to Amazon HQ2

For companies & organizations

Industry & Community

Connect students to real work, real workplaces, real challenges, and the people shaping what comes next.

Partner With Orblynx

What Orblynx Does

Curiosity Becomes Capability.
Capability Opens Doors.

Most students arrive curious. They leave capable: able to design a solution, build it, test it, explain it, and stand behind it in front of an audience. That capability opens the next door: a new innovation area, a research question, a leadership role, an internship, or a clearer sense of where they want to go next.

Curiosity

Capability

Opportunity

Impact at a Glance

The Numbers and What They Don't Capture

3,000+

Students served

98%

Students & educators rated the program 5 out of 5

90%

Increased Interest in STEM Field

Reported by students

85%

Growth in Student Confidence & STEM Skills

Reported by students

Explore Our Impact Meet the Students Behind the Numbers

Programs

One Journey. Three Ways to Grow.

Orblynx is not a catalog of unrelated classes. Three connected program families share one approach to learning, and students move between them as their interests sharpen.

FLAGSHIP

STEM Innovation Academy

Discover. Develop. Hands-on STEM, real tools, and real-world problem solving. Where the Orblynx student journey begins.

Two pathways: STEM Co-ed · STEM for Girls

Explore the Academy →

Four Pathways

Future Pathways

Apply. Lead. Entrepreneurship, Communication & Public Speaking, Research & Publication, and Leadership & Internship.

Explore Future Pathways →

INVITE-ONLY

Competitions & Challenges

Launch. Where students put their skills and ideas into action through real-world challenges, competitions, and opportunities to make an impact.

Learn More →

Explore Programs

Inside the Academy

Work You Won't Find in a Standard STEM Program

STEM Innovation Academy spans four connected areas. Students build robotics, circuits, and intelligent systems; grow and test regenerative materials; design assistive technology around human needs; and model sustainable systems for future communities. Advanced students can carry those interests into research and publication.

Across the four innovation areas, students work on authentic problems, use real tools and materials, make decisions, test ideas, and create work they can explain and stand behind.

Engineering & Intelligent Systems

Students wire circuits, program sensors, and build machines that respond to the world around them.

roboticselectronicssensorsautomation

Explore this area →

Orblynx students with a bench grown from regenerative materials

Regenerative Materials & Bioinnovation

Students grow mycelium into solid material, test what they've grown, and take home what they made.

myceliumbiomaterials

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Human-Centered Design

Students start with a person and a real need, building assistive devices and accessible products for someone specific.

assistive technologyaccessibility

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Students modeling smart-city systems with robots

Sustainable Systems & Future Communities

Students model how energy, water, and transportation work together, then redesign those systems for real communities.

energysmart cities

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Explore STEM Innovation Academy

The Student Journey

Grow With Orblynx

One program is a start, not a finish.

Discover

Students begin with hands-on STEM, building, experimenting, and discovering what sparks their curiosity.

Develop

They build on that foundation with real tools, more complex challenges, and greater independence.

Apply

They take their capabilities further through entrepreneurship, public speaking, research and publication, and other real-world experiences.

Lead

They take greater ownership, presenting their work, leading teams, mentoring younger students, and stepping into leadership and internship experiences.

Launch

They put it all into action through challenges, competitions, showcases, and community problem-solving, while connecting their experience to college, research, industry, careers, and what comes next.

See Where This Leads

"Orblynx didn't just teach my students how to build; they taught them how to think like innovators. This partnership has set a new benchmark for student engagement and technical grit in our classroom."

Lori Marr, Educator

Transformational Stories

Katarina started in 7th grade. She is now a sophomore in college and still comes back.

Katarina joined Orblynx in 7th grade and stayed for seven years. She took on leadership roles in BioBench, a mycelium-based furniture project that earned outside recognition, and the Girl EmPower Summit, and received a grant for an art-based community program of her own. Today she is a sophomore at Johns Hopkins University studying public health, works in a Public Health and Biology lab, and has returned to Orblynx as an intern.

"Orblynx Academy has profoundly shaped my education and my confidence to pursue a career in STEM."

Katarina · Orblynx alum & returning intern

Your Teachers. Our Curriculum. More Students Reached.

Orblynx partners with school districts to bring project-based STEM into classrooms; taught by district teachers, supported by Orblynx. Through STEM Innovation Labs, partner educators deliver Orblynx curriculum to their own students with training, resources, and year-round implementation support.

"Orblynx Academy inspires curiosity, sparks creativity, and opens doors to possibilities many students may never have imagined for themselves."

Katie Johnson · Principal, Belmont Ridge Middle School · LCPS Principal of the Year

Explore District Partnerships

About Our Programs

What makes Orblynx different from other STEM programs?−

Orblynx students do not just learn about STEM. They use it. Students work with real tools, technologies, and materials to investigate meaningful problems, design solutions, build and test prototypes, communicate their thinking, and improve their work. Our programs are connected, giving students room to grow from hands-on exploration into research, leadership, internships, challenges, competitions, and real-world experiences.

What ages or grade levels are Orblynx programs designed for?+

Orblynx primarily serves middle and high school students. Grade eligibility varies by program, so families should review the grade range listed on each program page before registering.

Does my child need previous STEM experience to participate?+

Not for most introductory programs. STEM Innovation Academy is where the Orblynx student journey typically begins, and students can enter with different levels of experience. If a program requires prior experience or has specific eligibility requirements, those requirements will be clearly listed.

Is the program suitable for beginners?+

Yes. Many students begin with STEM Innovation Academy, where they learn through hands-on exploration, design, building, testing, and problem-solving. As students develop their skills, they can move into more advanced Orblynx pathways and experiences.

What skills will my child develop?+

Skills vary by program, but Orblynx experiences are built around critical thinking, problem-solving, persistence, troubleshooting, creativity, collaboration, communication, and technical confidence. Students also learn how to explain their decisions, respond to feedback, and apply what they know to increasingly complex challenges.

Registration & Fees

How do I register my child?+

Visit the program page for the session you are interested in and select the registration option shown. Each listing includes the grade range, schedule, location, availability, and next step. If a session is full, families may be able to join a waitlist or explore another available program.

Are materials and supplies included?+

For most Orblynx programs, the materials needed for the core program experience are included. If a student needs to bring a specific item or device, families will be notified in the program details or before the program begins.

Do you offer a sibling discount?+

Yes. When siblings enroll, Orblynx offers a 10% discount on the tuition of one child. Please contact our team if you need assistance applying the sibling discount to your registration.

Are scholarships or financial assistance available?+

Yes. Financial assistance is available on a case-by-case basis and is subject to approval and available funding. Families may submit a request to the Orblynx administrative team by email for consideration.

What is your cancellation and refund policy?+

Cancellations made at least 10 days before the program start date are eligible for a refund, less a $50 administrative fee. Cancellations made fewer than 10 days before the program begins are nonrefundable. Once a program has started, no refunds or credits are provided for withdrawals, missed sessions, illness, vacations, or other personal scheduling conflicts. If Orblynx Academy cancels an entire program, families may choose to transfer to another eligible program, receive a program credit, or receive a full refund.

What happens if Orblynx has to cancel or reschedule a class?+

Orblynx makes every reasonable effort to hold classes as scheduled. If a session must be cancelled or rescheduled because of weather, facility issues, or another circumstance beyond our control, no monetary refund is issued. When possible, Orblynx will offer a make-up session in person or virtually. Families will be notified as soon as scheduling information is available.

What to Expect

Does my child need to bring a laptop or other technology?+

It depends on the program. Orblynx provides the tools and materials required for many hands-on experiences. If students need to bring a laptop, device, or other item, families will be notified before the program begins.

What happens if my child needs to miss a day?+

Because Orblynx programs are project-based and many experiences build from one session to the next, attendance is important. If your child will be absent, please notify the Orblynx team as soon as possible. Catch-up options depend on the program, project stage, and schedule and cannot always be guaranteed.

Can parents see what students are working on during the program?+

Yes, when the program format allows. Orblynx often creates opportunities for families to see student work through showcases, presentations, project highlights, or program communications. Details vary by program.

Will students take their projects home?+

It depends on the project. Some student-built work can go home, while other projects may remain with Orblynx for continued testing, showcases, competitions, research, or collaborative work. Families will receive guidance for the specific program.

How do Orblynx programs help prepare students for future STEM opportunities?+

Orblynx is designed as a journey, not a series of disconnected classes. Students begin by discovering new interests and developing technical and problem-solving skills. As they grow, they can apply those skills through entrepreneurship, public speaking, research and publication, leadership and internships, then launch their work through challenges, competitions, showcases, and real-world experiences.

Safety & Student Support

How are students supervised?+

Students are supervised by Orblynx instructors and authorized program staff during scheduled program sessions. Families are responsible for arranging prompt and safe pickup or transportation at the end of each session. Orblynx supervision ends when the scheduled program session concludes.

What safety procedures are in place?+

Orblynx programs include hands-on science and engineering activities that may involve simple tools, low-voltage electrical components, and other educational materials. Students receive safety instructions before using relevant tools or materials, and program staff supervise activities and reinforce safety expectations throughout the session. Students are expected to follow all program rules and safety instructions.

How do you accommodate different learning styles and abilities?+

Orblynx programs combine hands-on building, visual instruction, discussion, teamwork, problem-solving, and presentation so students can engage with learning in different ways. Families are encouraged to share relevant learning or accessibility needs before the program begins so our team can understand the student's needs and determine what support can reasonably be provided within the specific program and setting.

What are Orblynx's expectations for student behavior?+

Orblynx is committed to a respectful, inclusive, and engaging learning environment. Students are expected to respect instructors, guest speakers, classmates, and the learning space, participate constructively, collaborate with others, and follow safety instructions. If behavior repeatedly disrupts learning or creates a safety concern, a parent or guardian may be contacted and the student may be removed from the program. In cases of dismissal for behavior or safety concerns, no refund is issued.

Now Enrolling

What's Open Right Now

Programs for grades 6–12 across northern Virginia, offered as summer intensives, after-school sessions, school-day programs, and workshops. Filter by grade, interest, format, and availability.

Orblynx robotics build: a student-assembled robot with breadboard and sensors

Open

STEM Innovation Academy · Engineering & Intelligent Systems Studio

Weekly hands-on sessions in the current innovation areas. Available in both STEM Co-ed and STEM for Girls pathways.

Details & Registration →

An Orblynx student receiving a Limitless Limbs venture investment award from the Loudoun Chamber

Invite-Only

Future Pathways · Venture Studio: Idea to Pitch

Students find a problem worth solving, figure out who has it, build something that addresses it, and pitch it, learning value creation, user discovery, and product thinking by doing all three.

Details & Registration →

An Orblynx student speaking on stage at a TEDx event

By Application

Future Pathways · Public Speaking Workshop

Students prepare and deliver a real talk about their own project work. Part of the Communication & Public Speaking pathway.

Details & Registration →

Find a Program

Real-World Connections

Students Have Already Been in the Room

Orblynx students have toured Amazon HQ2, presented to professionals in the fields they are considering, and taken on challenges that serve their own communities.

Orblynx students gathered at the Amazon visitor landing during their HQ2 visit

Explore Career Connections

Recognition

Recognized for the Work

2025 Loudoun Small Business Awards, Consumer Service Business of the Year, Winner

2026Loudoun County Public Schools presented founder and CEO Ferri Riar the Make a Difference Award for expanding STEM opportunities across the district.
2025Named Consumer Service Business of the Year at the Loudoun Small Business Awards.
2024Received the Loudoun County Environmental Excellence Award in the business category.

About Orblynx

In Pictures