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CENTER FOR SCIENCE TEACHING AND LEARNING INC
Rockville Centre, NY · EIN 311774356 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B052 · Education · Small ($100K-$1M) · cstl.org
revenue
$954K
expenses
$1.0M
net assets
$1.5M
employees
30
volunteers
6
program ratio
77%
mission · from form 990

To provide science education. CSTLs mission is encouraging science learning and literacy. This means giving people and children the opportunity to study

profile · synthesized from sources

The Center for Science Teaching & Learning (CSTL) is a nonprofit science education organization based in Rockville Centre, NY, operating on a 17-acre nature preserve. It offers hands-on science programs for children, schools, and families, including field trips, summer camps, and a nature-based preschool. CSTL also develops and manages international STEM competitions and provides consulting and professional development for educators and organizations.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $0
    The NSPC health science competition is a design challenge for pre-college youth. The program is to experiment and test any innovation in health science.
  2. #2 $0
    The Clean Tech Competition is a unique, worldwide research and design challenge for pre-college youth. The program encourages scientific understading of real-world issues and the integration of environmentally responsible energy sources. Each year, the Clean Tech Competition addresses and issure that is grounded in core technological competency areas and focuses on the next great engineering challenges.
named programs · 7 · from sources

What they call their work

America’s Home Energy Education Challenge
Nationwide competition in partnership with the US Department of Energy that engages students in energy conservation at home and school.
Clean Tech Competition
International research and design challenge for high school students focused on developing innovative solutions to global environmental issues.
Consulting Services
Custom STEM program development, exhibit design, and evaluation services for corporations, nonprofits, and educational organizations.
Discovery Summer Camp
Full-day science-themed summer program for children, featuring hands-on STEM activities, nature exploration, and animal encounters.
Field Trips and Outreach Programs
On-site and mobile science education programs for schools and groups, including Dinosaur Museum tours, animal shows, nature hikes, pond studies, bug exploration, and fossil digs.
Nature’s Kids Nursery School
A nature-based preschool program for children ages 3-4, offering 2, 3, or 5-day weekly options with experiential learning on a 17-acre nature preserve.
Professional Development for Teachers
Workshops and training for educators on STEM integration, classroom management, and science content, including national webinars for NBC Learn’s "Chemistry Now" series.
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Hands-On STEM Education Programs 3 activities
    • Deliver full-day science summer camp programs for children
      Offers full-day summer science programs for children ages 5–12 that include hands-on experiments, nature exploration, live animal visits, science demonstrations led by professional science teachers, art, music, team-based challenges, and project-based activities such as designing and building inventions.
    • Deliver monthly hands-on science programs for children
      Offers monthly drop-off science programs for children ages 5–12 covering biology, chemistry, and related sciences through age-appropriate, hands-on activities, including adapted programming for younger children ages 5–7.
    • Offer science programs during school holidays and breaks
      Provides full-day science programs on school holidays and during vacation periods for children ages 5–12, featuring hands-on experiments, nature exploration, live animal visits, and science demonstrations led by professional science teachers.
  • STEM Competition and Robotics Programs 3 activities
    • Implement national STEM competitions and education initiatives
      Created and runs the Covanta Teacher Challenge, the nation's only hands-on STEM competition for teachers, and co-implemented a nationwide energy education competition that engaged students in energy conservation at home and in schools.
    • Operate the Clean Tech Competition for pre-college youth
      Manages the Clean Tech Competition, an international research and design challenge for high school students focused on solving real-world environmental issues through innovation in sustainable energy solutions.
    • Operate the National STEM Public Challenge (NSPC) health science competition
      Runs the NSPC health science competition, a design challenge that enables pre-college youth to develop and test innovations in health science.
  • Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 2 activities
    • Deliver specialized science education workshops during field trips
      Conducts on-site, one-hour science workshops for student groups as part of field trips, including the Animal Show (featuring live animals and discussions on adaptations), Fossil Discovery (with real fossils and excavation activities), Nature Hikes (through Tanglewood Preserve), Life Around the Pond (exploring freshwater ecosystems), and Bug World (field observations of insects using magnifying glasses).
    • Host family night hikes at Tanglewood Preserve
      Organizes Family Night Hike programs from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Tanglewood Preserve, allowing participants to observe nocturnal wildlife in a natural setting; the program is offered for $15 per person.
  • Children's Themed Birthday Parties 1 activity
    • Host on-site birthday parties with dinosaur and science themes
      Provides dinosaur-themed birthday parties on-site featuring access to the dinosaur museum with robotic and skeletal dinosaurs, over 30 live animals, hands-on activities including a dino dig, a private event space, two staff hosts, pizza, juice, paper goods, and free admission for children with discounted adult admission at $11.
  • Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
    • Host recurring science-themed special events
      Organizes recurring special events including Spookyfest during October weekends, the December Dinosaur Carnival with games and prizes, the Dinosaur Egg Hunt during Easter weekend, Animal Encounter Week during winter break, a spring Nature Festival with bug hikes and pond exploration, and a Pirate Adventure program involving ship-building and treasure discovery.
  • Play-Based Early Childhood Education 1 activity
    • Provide early childhood science and nature-based education
      Operates nursery school classes for children ages 3–4 with 2-day, 3-day, or 5-day weekly options, using a 17-acre nature preserve with ponds, streams, fields, forests, gardens, and live animals as an outdoor classroom; integrates math and language arts into daily science themes and provides parents with daily learning summaries.
  • Public Astronomy & Space Science Education 1 activity
    • Provide field trip and outreach science education programs
      Offers science-focused field trips lasting one hour to a full day for school and community groups of all ages and abilities, including tours, animal and science demonstrations, and educational workshops; also conducts outreach programs by sending certified science educators to schools or organizations to lead workshops and presentations.
  • Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
    • Provide professional development for STEM educators
      Offers professional development workshops for educators focused on STEM content, inquiry-based learning, project-based learning, classroom management, hands-on science activities, science assessment, and STEM integration; designs customized programs aligned with school or district goals.
  • Uncategorized 3 activities
    • Develop educational science content and exhibits
      Designs and implements educational science exhibits such as "Dinosaurs of Jurassic Park," "Battle of the Dinosaurs," and "Amazing Animals"; also developed educational content for NBC Learn's "Chemistry Now" series and led national webinars to train teachers on its use.
    • Host community fossil swap events
      Organizes community fossil swap events that allow participants to trade fossils or minerals for new items, promoting engagement with paleontology and earth science.
    • Operate a dinosaur museum and exhibit with live animals and educational programming
      Runs a dinosaur exhibit featuring life-size robotic and skeletal dinosaurs alongside over 30 live animals in natural settings, offering hands-on learning experiences such as a dino dig and educational content on biological adaptations; the exhibit operates daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed on Wednesdays.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$954K
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$954K100%
Investment income$17K2%
Other revenue$-16K
expenses
Total expenses$1.04M
Program expenses77%
Admin / overhead23%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$744K
Grants paid out$5K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.62M
Cash$415K
Investments$311K
Liabilities$101K
Net assets$1.52M
Liquid reserves8.4 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +10.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Eric J Patysiak Asst Director 40 $159K
Ray Ann Havasy Director 40 $150K
board members · 2
  • Darryl Baynes — Board member
  • Dr Hillary Garland — Board member
relationships · 18

Who they work with

  • Applied Materials Partner — Collaborated on corporate signature STEM education programs.
  • Columbia University Partner — Staff hold a doctorate in education from Columbia University.
  • Curtin University Partner — Staff hold a master's degree in education from Curtin University.
  • Discovery Channel Partner — Worked in partnership on corporate signature programs related to STEM education.
  • Girl Scout Troop Leader Partner — Organizes troop participation in CSTL aquatics programs focused on pond ecosystems.
  • Grand Pavilion Partner — Hosts CSTL outreach programs for residents at a long-term care facility.
  • Hofstra University Partner — Staff hold a master's degree in education from Hofstra University.
  • Jack Abrams STEM School Partner — Repeatedly participates in CSTL field trips for 4th grade students.
  • NBC Partner — Collaborated on the development of educational materials and teacher training for the "Chemistry Now" series.
  • NYSERDA Partner — Partnered on corporate signature programs in STEM education.
  • Nassau County Parks and Recreation Partner — Collaborated on STEM education programs and initiatives.
  • National Science Teachers’ Association Partner — Co-implemented the America’s Home Energy Education Challenge and other national STEM initiatives.
  • Not specified Partner — No named organizational partnerships mentioned
  • Oceanside High School Partner — Engages in CSTL field trips tailored for high school-level and ENL students.
  • Tanglewood Preserve Partner — Hosts CSTL programs on a 17-acre nature preserve.
  • Tanglewood Preserve Partner — Site used for guided nature hikes, pond exploration, and bug studies during field trip programs
  • US Department of Education Government — Partnered on national STEM education programs.
  • US Department of Energy Government — Co-implemented the America’s Home Energy Education Challenge with CSTL and the National Science Teachers Association.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Comparative Adaptation Teaching Model
    methodology: comparative_adaptation_teaching
    By teaching biological and evolutionary concepts through direct comparison of extinct dinosaurs and living animals, we produce stronger conceptual understanding because juxtaposing past and present species makes abstract ideas like adaptation and natural selection tangible and observable.
  • Experiential, Hands-On Science Learning
    methodology: hands_on_experiential_learning
    By engaging children in hands-on, interactive, and immersive experiences with live animals, fossils, and nature-based environments, we produce deeper understanding of science concepts because direct experience and sensory exploration strengthen retention and curiosity-driven learning.
  • Inquiry-Based Educator Development
    methodology: inquiry_based_learning
    By training educators in inquiry-based learning methods, we improve teaching effectiveness because fostering curiosity and open-ended exploration in teachers translates to more engaging and student-centered science instruction.
  • Integrated Nature-Based Academic Instruction
    methodology: integrated_academic_instruction
    By embedding math and language arts within nature-based science activities, we strengthen academic learning because contextualized, interdisciplinary experiences make abstract skills more meaningful and memorable through real-world application.
  • Youth-Led Research and Design Challenges
    methodology: research_and_design_competition
    By involving pre-college youth in global research and design competitions focused on real-world science problems, we produce innovation and engagement because structured challenges promote experimentation, critical thinking, and ownership of scientific inquiry.