Where Curiosity Meets Innovation

Join Our STEM Adventure!

WHAT IS STEM?

Science

Techhnology

Engineering

Mathematics

Mission Statement

Chocolate Babies in STEM, LLC is an educational consulting firm dedicated to offering accessible STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) programs and workplace development for K-12 students of color. We aim to foster inspiration, leadership, and self-worth through personalized learning plans, real-world projects, and a technology-driven approach. Our mission is to empower students to achieve excellence, seek truth, live with honor, act responsibly, and support their communities.

Business Objectives

1.

To leverage our expertise in STEM curricular design and instructional best practices to provide educational services.

2.

To utilize our teaching strategies to increase engagement and accessibility of STEM content to students of color.

3.

To utilize our STEM education background to improve state examination pass rates (Regents Exam, etc.) for students of color.

4.

To utilize our experience in diverse communities to ensure students of different ability levels are supported within STEM courses.

5.

To assist schools in building their capacity by providing strategic planning guidance.

6.

To promote collaboration amongst schools, educators, parents, students, community members, and other stakeholders to improve overall educational outcomes for students of color.

  • “Taylor works magic! She is brilliant, creative, and organized. Taylor makes connections with students like no other, and I have seen her lift up students from all backgrounds to achieve at the college-ready level. "

    Ellen Watkins, Lead teacher, IB Environmental Science & IB Sports, Exercise, & Health Science (BPHS)

  • “The services that Taylor provides are immensely helpful to our school. Equity is always at the forefront of her mind and her lesson planning, and it is made apparent through her students' grades, and their knowledge base coming into IB Physics in 11th grade. Her materials are neat and organized, her lessons run smoothly and efficiently, and she is constantly collecting informal data to allow her to point her attention to students that need it the most. "

    Peter Quirk, IB Physics & Design Technology teacher (BPHS)

  • I have had the pleasure of working alongside Taylor for the past 2 years. Taylor exhibits excellence, care and passion in everything that she does. I know that if I need a creative solution to engage a student, the first person I go to is Taylor."

    Paige Watson, Academic Counselor (BPHS)

  • "Taylor is one of the most consistent, caring, and confident educators I have ever worked with. The high expectations she holds and the love that she shows students is evident in her classroom practices and outcomes. Each year students rave about Ms. Ratliff, saying her class was both one of their most challenging and one of their most rewarding. Taylor's practices and outcomes are always grounded in her commitment to educational justice for students of color."

    Katie Luecke, Environmental Sciences Teacher, BPHS

  • "I am honored to have worked alongside Taylor Ratliff for the past three years as she is an integral member of our school community. Taylor demonstrates excellence in both teaching and curriculum development as a Chemistry teacher, while seamlessly building impactful relationships with both students and families. Taylor is a fierce advocate for ensuring that the needs of our diverse student body are consistently met, and often interrogates policies and practices to ensure our school is an equitable and inclusive space for all students."

    Bridget Scott, Academic Counselor, Brooklyn Prospect High School

  • "I have worked with Taylor Ratliff as her Department Head for the last two years, between 2021 - 2023 at Brooklyn Prospect Charter High School. In that time, I have observed Taylor's scientific knowledge, her ability to work with a diverse range of students, and her passion for equity within STEM education. Taylor's teaching is simple, yet firm in expectations and classroom management. She is able to empower students within Chemistry while also upholding them to high expectations in which they conduct themselves within the classroom. Taylor has worked with multiple adults in the building in order to advocate for both restorative justice practices and providing spaces for Black and brown students to feel seen and heard."

    Zahra Rehman, Science Department Head, BPHS

  • "Taylor is a wonderful teacher and the students love her! She is passionate about student success in the STEM field and has given great advice and guidance on best practices and resources. Chocolate Babies is a great asset for our Students of Color!"

    Syieda Penson, English Learning Specialist, BPHS

  • "Her ability to collaborate with key stakeholders helped foster a cohesive and unison 10th grade team that was replicated throughout our high school. Working alongside her as the Dean of Students, I was able to see how transferrable her systems and procedures for her labs could be applicable to the whole school. As a model teacher and a thought partner for school wide procedures, she was able to help my team brainstorm and execute a school-wide reset focused on helping teachers develop their classroom management skills by practicing clear directions, checking for understanding, and relationship building to boost morale and engagement in a rigorous academic environment. This helped not only with cohesion but creating structure and consistency across the board from class to class. Through this reset our data showed an increase in classroom attendance especially for our black and brown students. Students were more engaged and attentive. "

    Akilah Baptiste, Dean of Students, BPHS