Why Jax N Hearts Exists
Jax N Hearts Community Outreach was shaped by years of working in under-resourced communities and witnessing firsthand how access to meaningful educational experiences can change the way students see themselves and their potential. While many students in rural areas have opportunities to engage with agriculture and hands-on learning, students in metropolitan settings often do not. This imbalance reinforced the need for learning experiences that are immersive, relevant, and equitable.
Jax N Hearts exists to bridge this gap by creating learning environments where education is connected to real life, community needs, and future opportunity.
Education Rooted in Real-World Experience
Through work in STEM education, Dr. Marquita Jackson saw how cross-curricular, hands-on instruction transformed student engagement. Integrating science, technology, engineering, math, reading, and real-world problem-solving allowed students to connect with concepts they had never been exposed to before.
Seeing students excited to learn—and eager to try new things alongside their teacher—sparked a deeper exploration into agriculture as a powerful learning environment where learning is experienced rather than memorized.
Educational Technology and Computational Thinking
Dr. Marquita Jackson holds a Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Educational Technology. Their doctoral research focused on how elementary school teachers use educational robots, such as Sphero, to teach computational thinking.
This research demonstrated that robotics can significantly increase student engagement and motivation by encouraging learning through challenges and exploration. When technology is used purposefully, it deepens understanding across subject areas and helps learners build skills that prepare them for the future.
Why Equity Matters
Equity is central to the work of Jax N Hearts. Differences in exposure and access often widen educational gaps, especially in underrepresented communities.
Jax N Hearts is committed to leveling the educational playing field by providing high-quality, hands-on STEM learning experiences while honoring the strengths of educators and learners in every community.
The Teaching Farm as a Living Classroom
Looking ahead, the founder envisions a teaching farm that serves as an extension of the classroom. The farm is not meant to replace traditional learning spaces, but to enhance them—offering a place where lessons are experienced, not completed on worksheets.
On the farm, learners explore academics alongside environmental stewardship, animal care, patience, resilience, and responsibility. It becomes a living classroom where students develop a deeper appreciation for food systems, sustainability, and the interconnectedness of learning and life.
Core Beliefs
Jax N Hearts Community Outreach was shaped by years of working in under-resourced communities and witnessing firsthand how access to meaningful educational experiences can change the way students see themselves and their potential. While many students in rural areas have opportunities to engage with agriculture and hands-on learning, students in metropolitan settings often do not. This imbalance reinforced the need for learning experiences that are immersive, relevant, and equitable.
Jax N Hearts exists to bridge this gap by creating learning environments where education is connected to real life, community needs, and future opportunity.
Education Rooted in Real-World Experience
Through work in STEM education, Dr. Marquita Jackson saw how cross-curricular, hands-on instruction transformed student engagement. Integrating science, technology, engineering, math, reading, and real-world problem-solving allowed students to connect with concepts they had never been exposed to before.
Seeing students excited to learn—and eager to try new things alongside their teacher—sparked a deeper exploration into agriculture as a powerful learning environment where learning is experienced rather than memorized.
Educational Technology and Computational Thinking
Dr. Marquita Jackson holds a Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Educational Technology. Their doctoral research focused on how elementary school teachers use educational robots, such as Sphero, to teach computational thinking.
This research demonstrated that robotics can significantly increase student engagement and motivation by encouraging learning through challenges and exploration. When technology is used purposefully, it deepens understanding across subject areas and helps learners build skills that prepare them for the future.
Why Equity Matters
Equity is central to the work of Jax N Hearts. Differences in exposure and access often widen educational gaps, especially in underrepresented communities.
Jax N Hearts is committed to leveling the educational playing field by providing high-quality, hands-on STEM learning experiences while honoring the strengths of educators and learners in every community.
The Teaching Farm as a Living Classroom
Looking ahead, the founder envisions a teaching farm that serves as an extension of the classroom. The farm is not meant to replace traditional learning spaces, but to enhance them—offering a place where lessons are experienced, not completed on worksheets.
On the farm, learners explore academics alongside environmental stewardship, animal care, patience, resilience, and responsibility. It becomes a living classroom where students develop a deeper appreciation for food systems, sustainability, and the interconnectedness of learning and life.
Core Beliefs
- Learning should be meaningful, hands-on, and accessible to all.
- Technology should enhance learning and empower students to change their world.
- Education should connect academics to real-life experiences.
- Communities thrive when learning is rooted in care, responsibility, and sustainability.
- No one should experience hunger.