SmartLab wins 2026 CODiE Award for Best STEM Instructional Solution. July 22, 2026, 22:37 GMT SmartLab honored for advancing student engagement, STEM identity and career readiness SmartLab does more than introduce students to STEM concepts and technologies. It helps learners develop the confidence to say, 'I belong here. I can do this. I add value. I am future-ready." - Dr. Jennifer Berry, CEO of SmartLab LONGMONT, CO, UNITED STATES, July 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ - SmartLab, a leading STEM education company, today announced that its career-connected learning solution has been named the 2026 CODiE Award winner in the Best STEM Instructional Solution category. SmartLab Explorer was also recognized as a finalist for Product of the Year. The CODiE Awards recognize innovation and excellence across technology and education. Winners are selected through an evaluation process led by independent industry experts who assess solutions based on innovation, functionality, market impact and overall value. SmartLab was selected from 228 finalists across 75 categories in the 2026 awards program. "Winning the CODiE Award for Best STEM Instructional Solution validates the work SmartLab educators, partners and team members do every day to create learning experiences that help students recognize their own potential," said Dr. Jennifer Berry, CEO of SmartLab. "SmartLab does more than introduce students to STEM concepts and technologies. It helps learners develop the confidence to say, 'I belong here. I can do this. I add value. I am future-ready.'" In order to advance students confidence and durable skills to thrive in an AI powered world, SmartLab focuses on student centered Ah-HA! moments by delivering an integrated K-12 STEM ecosystem that combines hands-on, project-based curriculum, industry-relevant tools and technologies, customized learning environments, anchored with facilitator professional development and learning communities, supported by ongoing implementation and community involvement. Through grade-appropriate, career-connected projects across eight STEM applications including Engineering, Robotics, Scientific Data & Analysis, Digital Media, Environmental Science, Circuitry & Electronics, Software Engineering, and Advanced Manufacturing, students explore authentic industry pathways and real-world careers. Students investigate meaningful challenges, design and test solutions, collaborate with peers, and communicate their ideas while building the technical knowledge and STEM identity needed for future success. The SmartLab experience is designed to strengthen technical knowledge while developing durable skills such as critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, adaptability, and problem-solving. These skills help prepare students for future academic and career opportunities, whether or not they ultimately pursue STEM fields. "At its strongest, STEM instruction gives students both meaningful content and the agency to use what they know," said Kristin Whalen, vice president of product and experience at SmartLab. "The SmartLab experience is intentionally designed around exploration, choice, productive struggle, reflection and collaboration. This recognition reflects the care the team has taken to connect curriculum, technology, the learning environment, educator development and ongoing support into one coherent experience." SmartLab Explorer's recognition as a Product of the Year finalist further highlights the company's commitment to expanding access to high-quality STEM learning. SmartLab's instructional approach centers on the development of STEM identity - a learner's belief that they belong, can master rigorous challenges and make a meaningful contribution. Students' progress through an active learning process that encourages them to explore, plan, create, reflect, and share. Educators serve as facilitators who guide inquiry, support collaboration, and help students connect classroom experiences to future opportunities. SmartLab supports educators through professional development, instructional guidance, technical assistance, and ongoing partnership. "The 2026 CODiE Award winners represent some of the most innovative and impactful solutions in the industry," said Jennifer Baranowski, president of the CODiE Awards. "These organizations are solving meaningful challenges, delivering measurable outcomes and helping shape the future of technology." For SmartLab, the award provides independent recognition of an instructional model built around the understanding that effective STEM education requires more than access to technology. Students need meaningful opportunities to apply knowledge, work through uncertainty, collaborate with others and see the value of their own ideas. SmartLab will continue advancing its curriculum, learning environments, professional development and support model while expanding access to career-connected STEM experiences in schools and communities. A complete list of 2026 CODiE Award winners are available at the CODiE Awards website. About SmartLab SmartLab is a career-connected STEM ecosystem that prepares today's students for tomorrow's challenges by building a strong STEM identity - one that includes both technical skill and a mindset that prepares students for real careers whether or not they eventually choose STEM fields. Each hands-on PBL+STEM solution connects grade-appropriate applications to one of eight industry pathways, helping students solve meaningful problems while developing real-world skills. SmartLab programs include dedicated classroom setups or flexible modular systems, along with standards-aligned curriculum, teacher training, and ongoing technical and curricular support. A strong STEM identity is a learner's self-belief that I belong, I can master rigorous challenges, and my ideas make an impact. This mindset takes shape through active, student-centered learning cycles - each ah-HA! moment steadily converting raw curiosity into resilient, purposeful, problem solving. To learn more, visit smartlablearning.com. Hannah Brennan Creative Learning Systems +1 303-772-6400 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook YouTube X SmartLab | Learning is different here. Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above. You just read: July 22, 2026, 22:37 GMT EIN Presswire's priority is author transparency. We do our best to weed out false and misleading content. The content above is the sole responsibility of the author who makes it available. If you have any complaints, kindly contact the author above. Hannah Brennan Creative Learning Systems +1 303-772-6400

SmartLab earns Great Place to Work(R) Certification for 2026-2027. SmartLab employees gather during a company collaboration event, reflecting the organization's people-first culture, cross-functional teamwork, and shared commitment to advancing STEM education nationwide. Employee feedback highlights SmartLab's collaborative culture, mission-driven work, and commitment to advancing STEM identity for K-12 learners nationwide This recognition celebrates a team that embraces challenge, leads with heart, and shows up every day committed to making a difference for schools, students, and each other." - Dr. Jennifer Berry, CEO of SmartLab LONGMONT, CO, UNITED STATES, May 28, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ - SmartLab, a leading STEM education company delivering career-centered K-12 STEM learning solutions, today announced it has been Certified(TM) by Great Place To Work(R) for the 2026-2027 period. The recognition is based entirely on employee feedback, with 72% of SmartLab employees reporting the company is a great place to work - 15 points higher than the current U.S. average. The certification marks SmartLab's first recognition from Great Place To Work(R), the global authority on workplace culture and employee experience. SmartLab's workplace culture is rooted in collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to helping schools create transformative STEM learning experiences. As the company continues expanding its national footprint with more than 500 SmartLabs across the United States, employees play a direct role in supporting student engagement, career exploration, and STEM identity development. "SmartLab is filled with people who run toward possibility," said Dr. Jennifer Berry, CEO of SmartLab. "This recognition celebrates a team that embraces challenge, leads with heart, and shows up every day committed to making a difference for schools, students, and each other. At SmartLab, we want every student to believe they belong, they can master rigorous challenges, and they add value. Receiving the Great Place To Work Certification means our team feels that same sense of purpose, trust, and connection, and that is incredibly meaningful to me." "Being named a Great Place To Work is something earned by our people, not our policies," said Denise Basler, VP of People at SmartLab. "When every single person in this company, from those in their first month to those in their 10th year, shows up for each other the way ours do, the certification simply makes it official." SmartLab supports a fully remote workforce with collaborative hubs that include a warehouse in Longmont, CO, and Industrious office locations in Denver and San Diego. The company invests intentionally in connection and collaboration through annual team retreats, monthly Community Rooms, and virtual Show & Tell-style events designed to encourage knowledge-sharing across departments. Cross-functional innovation also plays a central role in SmartLab's culture. Using the Entrepreneurial Operating System(R)(EOS) framework, teams across departments collaborate to advance strategic priorities, or "rocks," ensuring employees throughout the organization contribute to company-wide initiatives and innovation efforts. "What makes SmartLab special is the shared sense of purpose behind everything we do," said Hannah Brennan, Chief of Staff at SmartLab. "Employees are deeply invested in supporting one another while helping schools create meaningful STEM experiences that inspire students and prepare them for future careers." The company's continued momentum includes recognition from the Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence as a Best of 2025 STEM Solution, as well as earning the ISTE Seal in recognition of SmartLab's alignment with high-quality standards for educational technology and digital learning. SmartLab also continues to expand initiatives focused on helping students build confidence and identity in STEM learning, including National STEM Identity Day, which will take place Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. Great Place To Work(R) Certification(TM) is awarded based on employee feedback regarding workplace trust, culture, and overall experience. The recognition is widely considered one of the most respected benchmarks for employee satisfaction and organizational culture. About SmartLab SmartLab, a leading STEM education company, delivers turnkey, career-centered K-12 STEM programs that equip today's students for tomorrow's challenges. Through an integrated ecosystem that includes Learning Environments, Curriculum, Technology, Professional Learning, Support and Partnerships, every hands-on PBL solution connects grade-appropriate STEM applications across eight industry pathways. SmartLab programs include dedicated classroom setups or flexible systems designed for mobility, along with standards-aligned curriculum, teacher training, and ongoing technical and curricular support. Learn more at SmartLabLearning.com. About Great Place To Work(R) As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place To Work(R) brings more than 30 years of research and data to help organizations create high-trust workplace experiences. Great Place To Work Certification(TM) is based entirely on employee feedback and is recognized worldwide as a benchmark for outstanding workplace culture. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com. Powered by Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.