Bold By Choice Podcast | S3 E5: Hear from Halis Kablan
Think Big. Build Big.
A reflection from Halis Kablan
When I first joined Beehive Science and Technology Academy nearly twenty years ago, we were a small school serving about 150 students in the basement of an office building. Resources were limited, but our mission was clear. Science and technology education should be for everyone. That belief is what brought me here and what has kept me here ever since.
My journey to education was not a straight line. I studied biology in Turkey and once imagined a career in pharmaceuticals. It was not until I stepped into a classroom that I realized I wanted my work to matter directly to people. Teaching showed me the power of helping students figure things out for themselves, and Beehive gave me a place to do that work with purpose.
Beehive was founded to serve immigrant and multilingual families who often felt unseen in traditional systems. Today, our students come from dozens of countries and speak more than sixty languages. That diversity is something we celebrate and build upon. It shapes how we teach, how we design learning experiences, and how we define success.
STEM at Beehive is about experience as much as content. I think about our sixth graders designing hot air balloons, testing materials, calculating wind speed, and refining their designs before launch day. I think about our robotics teams building autonomous systems and competing on international stages. These moments are powerful because students see their ideas come to life. They learn persistence, collaboration, and problem solving in ways that cannot be replicated through textbooks alone.
Our teachers are at the heart of this work. Many have been with us for a decade or more, some for nearly the full twenty years. They stay because they believe in our students and because they see the impact of their work. When alumni return to mentor robotics teams or thank a former teacher for believing in them, it reinforces why this work matters. That is the reward you cannot measure on a paycheck.
One recent conversation with a student reminded me why we can never become complacent. A robotics team captain proudly showed me a new robot they had designed and built in just one week. When I asked why he was pushing himself so hard, his answer was simple. This is my passion. That moment reminded me that success is never a finish line. There is always a next step, a next challenge, a new way to grow.
As we prepare to expand and open a second campus, we remain grounded in the same belief that launched Beehive from a basement two decades ago. When students are given opportunity, trust, and meaningful work, they rise. And when schools are built on purpose, belonging, and curiosity, extraordinary things follow.
Listen to the Episode
🎧 Season 3, Episode 5 – “Think Big. Build Big.”
Featuring Halis Kablan, Beehive Science and Technology Academy
