The Lemelson-MIT Program, a part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has been working to bring invention education to K-12 classrooms for nearly 25 years. The program's goal is to help students develop problem-solving skills and confidence by guiding them in finding real-world problems and inventing solutions. This month, the program has expanded its reach by awarding multi-year grants and stipends to 19 schools, districts, and colleges across three regions: Northern California, Tennessee, and Massachusetts/Connecticut. The selected institutions include elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as a community college and two state universities. This initiative is part of MIT's broader effort to increase access to quality STEM education nationwide, as announced by President Sally Kornbluth. The program's focus on invention education aims to give students hands-on experience in building, testing, and prototyping solutions to real-world problems. Students work in teams to identify problems that matter to them and their communities, and develop original solutions. Through this process, they apply knowledge from multiple disciplines and develop essential skills such as empathy, collaboration, and communication. The program's faculty director, Michael Cima, emphasizes the importance of understanding user needs in product design, which is a critical aspect of invention education. By building this understanding early on, students gain confidence in their abilities and develop a strong foundation for future success. The Lemelson-MIT Program's expansion into connected pathways for students from kindergarten to college is a significant step towards providing quality STEM education and empowering the next generation of innovators.