The SPA (STEM @ Pathway Academy) Afterschool Program introduces students in grades 3–8 to the foundational skills they will need for success in high school and beyond. Its signature curriculum, Change Detectives, engages students in exploring measurement, curiosity, and creation across a variety of topics. While the program uses a shared model of learning values, the curriculum is scaffolded and advanced at each grade level, ensuring that students develop progressively deeper skills in inquiry, analysis, and innovation. For younger students, Change Detectives emphasizes hands-on exploration and curiosity, while upper middle-grade students are challenged with more structured projects, data analysis, and problem-solving applications. This design intentionally lays the groundwork for Pathway Academy High School’s trademark course, Research & Design. Just as Change Detectives nurtures curiosity and creativity, Research & Design takes those same skills to the next level in High School.