3 Chicago-area locations Grades PK–4 TheQLSA@gmail.com
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STEAM Education · South Side Chicago

Every kid is one idea away from a quantum leap.

Hands-on science, technology, engineering, art & math classes for grades PK–4 — built around what your kid wants to explore next. No lesson plan is final until the class votes on it.

Find a Class Near You Meet Dr. Lynn →
3 Chicago-area locations $20 / class Grades PK–4
QL NGSS-aligned curriculum
Students building STEAM projects at Quantum Leap
This SessionBridges, slime & balloon-car physics
Student exploring a hands-on STEAM activity
Why STEAM

Curiosity is the curriculum.

STEAM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math — engages kids in inquiry, creativity, and problem-solving from day one. At Quantum Leap, we take an integrated approach: rather than teaching each discipline separately, we ask students to solve real problems using knowledge from all of them at once.

Our lessons build on productive struggle. We want kids to focus less on getting to a single right answer, and more on continuously evolving their thinking — a skill that serves them far beyond the classroom.

“It's more important than ever that our nation's youth are prepared to bring knowledge and skills to solve problems, make sense of information, and know how to gather and evaluate evidence to make decisions.” — U.S. Department of Education
How It Works

Class starts with a question: what do you want to build?

Every 5–8 week session is shaped around the kids in the room — but every activity is built on the same foundation.

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Kid-Directed

On day one, we ask the class what they want to explore — from chemistry to physics to life science. They decide, we design the lesson.

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Hands-On, Always

Popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, circuits, and a little productive mess — every class is a maker session, not a lecture.

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NGSS-Aligned

Every lesson maps to the Next Generation Science Standards, with real learning outcomes behind every "fun" activity.

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Taught With Heart

Classes are led by Founder Dr. Lynn Mackey, Ph.D. — a former college professor and mom who knows how kids actually learn.

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Sample Projects

A peek at what the kids decide to build.

Every session is different — here's a sample of what recent classes have explored.

Student building a popsicle-stick bridge
Engineering

Popsicle-Stick Bridges

Kids design, build, and stress-test their own bridges — then talk through why some structures hold and others don't.

Student building a paper structure
Design & Structures

Fairy Castles & Skyscrapers

A first-class favorite: build your own structure from paper and tape, then explain the engineering behind it.

Student exploring circuits and systems
Technology

Circuits & Systems

From balloon cars to simple circuits, kids explore the physics and technology behind how things move and connect.

Student learning about the human heart
Life Science

Human Heart & Anatomy

Hands-on diagrams and models help kids understand how the human body works, chamber by chamber.

A Quantum Leap classroom in session
Our Story

Started because my son couldn't find a STEAM class on the South Side.

"I founded Quantum Leap when I couldn't find STEAM classes for my then 7-year-old son, Jaxon, near our home on the South Side of Chicago. I thought it was ridiculous that what I was looking for could only be found in the Western Suburbs and the North Side. A still, small voice inside me said, 'Lynn, you do something about it.' So with much trepidation, I did."

Dr. Mackey spent 20 years in higher education — as faculty, a mental health counselor, and an academic administrator — before bringing that experience into the classroom herself. Today she teaches Quantum Leap classes personally, in close consultation with STEAM professionals.

Lynn B. Mackey
Lynn B. Mackey, Ph.D. — Founder & CEO, Quantum Leap STEAM Academy
The STEAM Gap

Why this matters, long after class ends.

10.4%
Projected growth in STEM/STEAM occupations from 2024–2033, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
$101,650
Median annual wage for STEM/STEAM jobs — more than double the $48,060 median across all occupations.
1 in 5
STEM college students who felt their K-12 education prepared them extremely well, per a Microsoft study. We're closing that gap early.
Locations

Find Quantum Leap near you.

We currently offer classes at three South Side and southwest-suburban locations.

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Evergreen Park Community Center

3450 W. 97th Street
Evergreen Park, IL
Open enrollment — search "Quantum Leap STEAM" under the Youth category to register.
Register at Evergreen Park
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Morgan Park Academy

2153 W. 111th Street
Chicago, IL 60643
Offered as part of the school's afterschool program for currently enrolled students.
Learn About Afterschool
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A-Scholars, Inc.

11030 S. Longwood Drive
Chicago, IL 60643
Offered for students enrolled in the A-Scholars summer camp program.
Learn About Summer Camp
Ready When You Are

Ready for your child's Quantum Leap?

Sessions run 5–8 weeks at $20 per class. Spots are limited at every location.

Find a Class Near You Email TheQLSA@gmail.com