Personal Problem: The journey began when Steve and Sheila’s son, Stone, came home with a big problem—he said he hated school, especially math and engineering. This came as a shock, given that both Steve and Sheila used STEM in their daily work. In response, they asked, “Well, what do you love?” That simple question sparked a 4-year adventure exploring all things speed and robots.
As a family, they traveled to Japan, Italy, and China, building kits and creating comic books to document their experiences. Even Sheila’s father, an engineer, and Steve’s father, an entrepreneur, got involved during holidays. Ultimately, this journey helped Stone thrive. He went on to start his own firm while still in high school and later pursued studies in engineering and marketing in college.
HEPH
HEPH programs are built to help learners find their why. The programs are problem-finding, hands-on, multidisciplinary, individualized, gamified learning, delivered through a sass platform, that embeds core educational content into the activities students already love—such as video games, social media, music, and sports.
HEPH programs engage learners through story, subjects and technology they love. Our learners often describe a HEPH experience as, “learning without feeling like you’re learning.” Our story-filled, gamified programming is design to quantum leap learners past their fears into worlds where they can find out who they truly are – beyond societal expectation and social emotional roadblocks. Immersed in HEPH worlds, learners discover that they can learn anything they want, primarily because they can fail without judgement. Then, just like any other game, pick themselves up to press on!
The program is aligned with educational standards, ensuring that while students enjoy the experience, they are meeting essential academic benchmarks in math, reading, science, and more. We use AI tools to assist both teachers and students by generating summaries and evaluations, which helps in tracking progress beyond traditional grades. Instead, we embrace a more holistic method of journaling, allowing both students and teachers to reflect on learning experiences.
HEPH ED follows a Montessori-inspired philosophy, incorporating self-determination, prepared environments, and student-led activities. We draw from Jean Lave’s thinking, encouraging learners to participate in the world, though the worlds they explore in our platform are not always based on Earth.
Our approach also emphasizes teamwork, with our trademarked Dream T.E.A.M.S. (Technology, Engineering, Art, Math, and Science), encouraging collaboration among students in multidisciplinary ways. It’s like going to Stanford without the delay.
We license characters, stories, and video game content from FLUID, a company with a proven track record, including a NIH-contracted video game on immunology, an Emmy for Reading Rainbow, and a Silver Parent’s Choice Award for its own production, Avenue E along with brand building
To follow is a view of an AUTOROBO middle school program from 30,000 feet.
The AUTOROBO program was designed specifically for middle school learners. While the subject matter focuses on math and reading, the sub-context of the program explores themes of self-agency, teamwork, self-assessment, leadership, and resilience. These crucial areas of development are essential for students as they transition from childhood to adolescence.
During this particular engagement District D-97 assessed that HEPH programs delivered 95% engagement and 75% of the learners advanced in math and reading.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Note:
We have a comprehensive 3-year plan designed to grow steadily and refine the product along the way. Here’s how we’ll execute it:
Pilot Program:
Simultaneous Marketing:
Community Seeding:
Assess and Pivot:
Expansion Model:
CRM and Stakeholders:
Digital and Gaming Component:
HEPH was designed not only to provide educational tools that meet the rigorous needs of preparing learners for the 21st century. The program draws inspiration from the revenue models of Sesame Street, Nickelodeon, Scholastic, and Roblox—with the ultimate goal of transitioning away from philanthropic donations over time. As we achieve our milestones and benchmarks, we will prudently phase out philanthropic support, transitioning to a self-sustaining model.
Our approach includes year-round revenue streams through:
By achieving key milestones and benchmarks, HEPH will be able to prudently phase out philanthropic donations and shift to a model where the program itself becomes the primary donor, providing free or subsidized access to communities in need. This transition ensures that underserved learners continue to benefit from our programming while maintaining financial independence.
Through these strategies, HEPH will offer year-round programming, avoiding the challenges of traditional school funding cycles, and creating a self-sustaining ecosystem that supports both educational growth and community empowerment.
The film below is a message from Bert Cambridge, one of Steve Conner’s mentees. Steve first met Bert in grade school when he noticed Bert’s impressive chalk drawings on his way home from work. Curious about Bert’s interest in technology, Steve asked if he ever used computers. Bert replied, “No, I use chalk.” This conversation marked the beginning of a lifelong mentorship that guided Bert through middle school, high school, and college. Eventually, Steve gave Bert his first job as an editor, after tricking Bert into FINALLY working on computers, by digitizing Bert’s music into an editing program. Bert couldn’t resist – the rest of the story, Bert will share in the film.
Not only did Bert thrive, but most of his friends ended up working for Steve’s companies, helping keep the Conner firms at the cutting edge of the industry. Together, they built computers, developed software, and even created mechanical camera equipment.
Steve and Sheila Conner have been at the nexus of education, career development, brand building, marketing consulting, entertainment, and edutainment for over 30 years. Their commitment to promoting talent from within made their ad agency and production company well-known for its internships and professional development opportunities. This reputation led to Procter & Gamble retaining the Conners to provide minority talent for all of their production work.
The Conners’ companies were regarded as secret weapons, thanks to their unique ability to advise companies strategically and then build and produce campaigns and products. Notably, the Conners helmed the famed Budweiser Whassup campaign and led marketing efforts for Verizon and Softsheen-Carson Global, achieving double-digit growth year over year.
Steve has also developed shows for Children’s Television Workshop and Nickelodeon, earning an Emmy for writing the “Follow the Drinking Gourd” episode of Reading Rainbow. Additionally, the Conners received a Silver Parent’s Choice Award for their original children’s content, Avenue E.
With their extensive experience in education, content creation, and business strategy, the Conners are well-positioned to not only empower learners but also to build a thriving, self-sufficient foundation through the HEPH Foundation. By leveraging their skills in innovation, education, and business growth, they aim to ensure that HEPH not only survives but thrives for years to come, sustaining its mission of empowering the next generation.
