Challenge Island Houma

One thing that makes Challenge Island a standout is what it lacks. You’ll find no screens or digital devices in a Challenge Island after-school class, camp or family night. Instead, kids working together in STEAM Teams, are encouraged to use imagination, teamwork, and problem-solving skills to come up with creative solutions to challenges using a treasure-chest full of low-tech supplies." ENTREPRENEUR MAGAZINE

We come to you! We provide certified teachers and all materials for each event. You provide the space and the kids/families and we take care of the rest!

20 years ago, our founder, Sharon Duke Estroff, was at the height of her Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde phase. By day, she was a cool-as-a-cucumber second grade teacher with a classroom full of happy, thriving students (she was even voted Best Teacher in Atlanta by a major Atlanta newspaper). But by ​night (and most definitely by weekends), Sharon was​ ​a stressed-out mom who could barely muster the energy to help her four young children with their homework.

Sharon knew it was time for a career change, but as an educator born into a family of educators, she couldn’t imagine straying too far from the schoolyard. So, she took Challenge Island®, a STEAM program she’d created for her second graders, and began offering it as an afterschool enrichment class in nearby schools. Challenge Island was a hometown hit and before long, Sharon had created a successful business that she could run around her family’s busy schedule.

Sharon Duke Estroff had a hunch that there would be a demand for Challenge Island in other markets too. Her hunch was right. Today, Challenge Island is the #1 STEAM Franchise in the world! We have nearly 150 locations worldwide and partner with 10,000 schools and community organizations across the globe. We even have a bestselling Challenge Island STEAM book series. Most importantly, Challenge Island has touched and enriched the lives over nearly 5 million children.

The Challenge Island program and curriculum are designed to meet the needs of two entities: Today’s playful, imaginative child and tomorrow’s empowered, globally-successful adult. We rest this core mission on our foundational palm tree pillars: STEM + ART = STEAM, 21st Century Skills, Higher Level Thinking Skills, Project Based Learning, Social Emotional Learning, Island Destinations, Resilience, STEAM Teams, and Screen-free Fun!

Afterschool Enrichment, Onsite Field Trips, Camps, Family Engagement Events, Kids Night Out

At Challenge Island®, we are committed to providing schools, districts, and states with High-Quality In-School, Afterschool and Summer Programs that will help them bridge the COVID-19 learning gap for their students and begin to ease the social-emotional toll children have suffered as result of this period of loss and isolation. We believe that inspiring kids to be Curious and Inquisitive, while gearing them with Global Perspective and 21st Century Skills, prepares them to thrive in today's complex, interconnected world. We are committed to helping students become Well-Rounded and develop a Growth Mindset and Courage to Take Risks and Make Mistakes. We infuse this core Mission into every Challenge Island Experience. Each of our STEAM Programs for Pre-K-12 Students uniquely intertwines Project-Based Learning Challenges with Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math with other core curricular disciplines including ELA, History, Social Studies, Geography, World Cultures, STEM Careers, Social-Emotional Learning and Much More! We can also combine the magic of Reading with our STEAMtastic Learning Events that include our Chapter Book Series!