Alumna Leader: Transforming the Future of Education for California’s Students and Inspiring the Next Generation
Story by Jesse De La Trinidad, Alumni Relations
December 03, 2024
From the eucalyptus groves at University of California San Diego to the heart of Silicon Valley, Shraddha Chaplot '08 has emerged as a trailblazer, reshaping the landscape of education with her pioneering vision and making waves through her leadership in education.
As Founder and CEO of Playful Ponderies, Chaplot has committed herself to revolutionizing the traditional classroom experience, igniting the recognition in students that they are active participants in shaping societal change. Through strategic partnerships with numerous California schools, she has led the charge in creating transformative educational programs that empower thousands of students to unlock their potential, instilling a deep sense of purpose, embracing lifelong learning, and contributing to the world’s future through purposeful action.
Revolutionizing Education
Chaplot was destined to be an educator. After eleven years as a hands-on engineer, she confronted a crucial dilemma: growing discontent about the ethical implications of corporate practices.
She always maintained a strong commitment to education as an engineer. At Cisco, Chaplot conducted year-round workshops on emerging technologies across industries, with a global reach in the thousands. It was more than imparting practical skills, though. In and beyond the “classroom”, she championed responsible and ethical innovation.
“I believe it is the intention of the person using the technology that determines whether it is good or bad, not the technology itself,” Chaplot explains. "I aim to instill values in all teenagers I engage with so they may utilize any technology for good.” Drawing from her experiences, including lessons from her time at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, Chaplot embarked on building the educational model she would have wanted during her formative years.
In 2017, Chaplot founded Playful Ponderies–a "mad scientist lab"–to test her educational hypotheses. Within just two years, she became fully immersed in the education sector, experiencing daily student life firsthand. Driven by a commitment to ethics, Chaplot’s bold vision was born: “Throughout a student’s four year journey, every teenager engages in at least one real world experiential learning opportunity, so they may find their purpose, explore their passion, or discover a new path to pursue.”
Bridging Classrooms, Campuses, and Communities
Drew School in San Francisco
As Director of STEAM Innovation at Drew School in San Francisco, Chaplot reinvigorated the engineering and robotics program by creating customized, hands-on learning, transforming it into an inclusive experience, particularly for those without prior STEM exposure or interest. Her inaugural class was all seniors who signed up under the pretense that the course would be run as it previously had–unchallenging and easy enough so they could breeze through it. Chaplot stayed true to her “meet them where they’re at” mindset and created customized experiences that aligned to each student’s unique skills and interests.
As students discovered their abilities and passions, their curiosity blossomed. Her program's success was undeniable, leading to a remarkable fourfold increase in enrollment in just one year.
It was in this course that Chaplot taught Max Manzare, a former Drew student who speaks of her with astounding admiration. He recalls Chaplot’s transformative impact, emphasizing her unique style and unparalleled attention to detail. “Shraddha truly went above and beyond for every class,” shares Manzare.
“Being that I am much more of a student of humanities, later majoring in international relations, I was skeptical of taking a STEM class.” Chaplot’s influence instilled in Manzare a new appreciation for engineering and a passion for building, and he continues to apply this as he restores a 1965 Ford Mustang. “[This project] has been my outlet for the interest and excitement that I have for engineering,” he shared. “It allows me to fulfill that passion for problem solving and fabrication which Shraddha evoked in me back in high school.”
Sophie Cohen, a fellow Drew graduate, fondly recalled Chaplot’s robotics class. “[Shraddha] genuinely took the time to understand me as a learner,” she shared. “It was clear that she cared about us as individuals.”
Cohen now works in the non-profit sector supporting child advocacy. She feels that key qualities that continue to guide her, like asking questions, building relationships, and navigating setbacks, are owed to her time with Chaplot. “Whenever I’m asked about teachers who have made a significant impact on my life, I always mention Shraddha,” she shared. “Anyone who has the chance to work with her is truly fortunate.”
Saint Francis High School in Mountain View
Chaplot’s measure of success surpasses grades or accolades. "I want students to understand that their actions and output define them, not titles or degrees,” she emphasizes. “I'm aiming to create ethical doers."
As Head of Innovation at Saint Francis High School (SFHS) in Mountain View, Chaplot built the groundbreaking Innovation @ Saint Francis program from scratch, personally crafting every aspect of the initiative, from vision and strategy to execution. She joined forces with passionate tech innovators, community leaders, and alumni to co-create dozens of unique, expertise-driven projects, engaging and inspiring hundreds of students and illuminating future possibilities for them.
It began with one summer pilot program in 2021. By fall that year, Chaplot was leading multiple concurrent projects and student cohorts.
Over the next few years, her robust, varied, and often unconventional partnerships and projects put students’ skills to the test, resulting in tangible solutions for partners to utilize. In one project, students designed and assembled Bluetooth speakers using recycled materials, testing their prototypes’ functionality and feasibility while being environmentally conscious. In another project, students experienced rapid prototyping by learning about fleet electrification and the design process, delivering their solutions in just two weeks. In yet another project, students learned from leading researchers about the intersection of accessibility and reading on mobile apps to develop their own user-centric solutions.
Chaplot led each project and cohort with a personalized approach, designing initiatives for every kind of student. Her goal was to make each student–novice to experienced, analytical to creative, apprehensive to confident–know that this program was made for them.
Chaplot established a partnership with Santa Clara University’s BioInnovation and Design Lab. She collaborated with an esteemed neuroscientist to translate their university-level research on brain health and virtual reality into high school-level experiential learning opportunities. In two years, they led six cohorts among two projects: Innovations in Dementia Care (I2DC) and BioFeedback in Immersive Environments (BFiIE). The latter resulted in the creation of Flowressence, a calming virtual reality app focused on measuring the player’s heart rate to address youth mental health.
As word spread between students, the community, and partners’ networks, the demand for more projects increased–both student requests and potential partner interest flourished. For Chaplot, nothing was off limits when it came to project ideas, topics, or who to collaborate with. “Within a few minutes of meeting someone, I’d always smile and propose, ‘Want to create a project together?’ And no matter what their response or hesitation, I’d convince them.”
In fact, when Chaplot met Dan Li, a former investment banker and proposed that question, he responded with "But I'm not STEM." Chaplot replied "So?", effectively dismantling any reservations. Removing this mental roadblock led them to co-create their widely popular investment thesis project, Innovative Thesis for Macro Investing (IT4MI). This successful workshop continues to thrive, having just concluded its third cohort this fall.
One of her last endeavors at Saint Francis involved data-capturing satellite applications. As a student at the Jacobs School, Chaplot was a Payload Specialist for NASA ISS EarthKAM, a program led by Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space and a professor of physics at UC San Diego.
In a ‘full circle’ moment, Chaplot developed a space tech project, designing curriculum alongside Antaris, a Bay Area-based firm that pioneered advanced space software and technology.
Tom Barton, CEO of Antaris, described Chaplot as “unbelievably energetic, motivated, and productive in driving opportunities for students to learn.” In their first meeting, Barton was captivated by Chaplot's vision for her program, pleased by its advanced progress and impact. Inspired, he agreed to collaborate on a new spacetech-focused project. Chaplot also invited him to judge IT4MI, a role he accepted to witness the program’s impact firsthand and join her in driving meaningful change together.
“[Shraddha’s] unique area,” reflected Barton, “was the ability to find ways to connect high school students to private industry, with learning opportunities they would not typically get in high school.”
Together, Chaplot and Barton launched the project Software for Space, or S4S. She drove the logistical aspects, while Antaris taught the material itself. Like all other engagements before it, Chaplot architected S4S to be mutually beneficial for both students and partners.
As interest in Innovation @ Saint Francis grew, so did the number of projects. By the end of her tenure at the school, Chaplot had established a pipeline of concepts in the sciences, arts and everything in between, including projects in the marine sciences, architecture, sports, wearable sensors, finance, data analytics, retail, supply chain and dance.
Molly Sullivan, who graduated in 2022, was a part of Chaplot’s BFiIE project that created Flowressence. “The energy, knowledge and support Miss Chaplot brought to class sparked my love of the human-centered design thinking process,“ Sullivan reflects. “[This experience] ignited my passion for design and technology.”
“When I speak with my undergraduate peers about our past experiences, they share that they never imagined a program like this could exist for students in high school,” she adds. Sullivan, now a third-year computer science student at the University of Notre Dame, has continued to explore this interest. “Miss Chaplot is an incredible role model,” she noted. “I am grateful for the confidence and love of learning she instilled in me.”
While Chaplot parted ways with Saint Francis earlier this year, her impact continues to be felt by students. Audrey Hsu, a current student at Saint Francis, described her as “one of the most incredible educators” she has ever encountered. “[Ms. Chaplot] changed how I perceive the world and has been the most supportive teacher I have ever known,” she shared.
Chaplot was Hsu’s coach for The Biomimicry Institute’s 2022-2023 Youth Design Challenge, where her prototype, The Protego, won first place nationally. Hsu came to see Chaplot as a force that challenged her for the better: “She posed questions that I had never thought to consider before, and she pushed my mind to explore outside of my comfort zone.”
Hsu and her team showcasing their crab-inspired prototype for Chaplot’s biomimicry project. (2023, SFHS)
“Ms. Chaplot has taught me more than I can express in words,” Hsu shared. “She cultivated a culture of love and support at the school…these lessons are ones that I have applied and carried into everything that I do today.”
York School in Monterey
Chaplot envisions “a strong, thriving, mutually beneficial relationship between the classroom, the campus, and the community.” York School, in Monterey, was a prime location for her to explore this idea.
The student cohort of more than a dozen, mentored by Chaplot, Zeljo, and dedicated staff, worked on building and troubleshooting two raised beds, two solar panel systems, two FarmBots, and overall irrigation. (2024, York)
Situated between the Central and Silicon Valleys, the hubs for agriculture and technology, York has an unparalleled opportunity to address this intersection seamlessly. Here, Chaplot conceptualized Plant A Seed, Phase One of the school’s new Sustainability & Innovation Initiative, focusing on AgTech.
“I wholeheartedly believe that schools today have an opportunity to expand beyond the rooms and spaces students traditionally learn from,” Chaplot expressed. She sees programs and projects such as the ones at York as an opportunity for students to see their solutions applied in the real world, and is leading these initiatives to bring their ideas to life.
Chaplot’s partners at York were Jon Zeljo, Assistant Head of School, and Heather Oliver, a member of York’s Board of Trustees. Together, they developed and delivered the AgTech pilot project.
“I knew the powerful impact [Chaplot] could have on both people and programs,” Zeljo explained. “She combines the theoretical, practical, real-world application, as well as the humane to build a vision that some people have a hard time following. [Her] perspective and vision for things is so far beyond how normal people see things,” he added.
Plant A Seed ensured students gained real world skills and worked together to propose solutions despite little prior knowledge or interest in agriculture or technology. Students engaged in highly technical open-source kits known as FarmBots, resulting in the creation of two advanced robotic farm plots on the York campus. ”We’ve truly been inspired, and we are planning our next phases all because of Shraddha’s initial vision and work.”
This wasn’t the first time she worked with York. Years prior, she had led a variety of summer workshops for students in robotics and biomimicry. “I still have families asking about her…and that was three or four years ago!” Zeljo added. “It’s rare to get to interact with this type of creative star.”
And then what?: Scaling Purposeful Education
Chaplot’s partnerships, programs, and projects have proven that these real world engagements and experiences are what students want, what schools need, and what our future can be. Now, she is expanding her model across more high schools and communities, underscoring that every single person, regardless of age, education, or profession, has a role to play in addressing societal challenges. This community-driven endeavor encourages action-oriented problem-solving to foster purpose and relevance in every person involved.
She asks her students and partners, “And then what?” to provoke thought on their next steps. “Completing a project is only the beginning,” she challenges, pushing them to think beyond by asking “What more can be done?” or “What new challenges can we tackle?” For Chaplot, it’s about sustaining impact, not settling for “one and done.”
Chaplot crafted her personal mantra, "Let good news give you hope. Let bad news give you purpose,” to guide her through life. Adapting to change, yet committed to empowering the next generation of ethical leaders and innovators, Chaplot's vision is clear: “I believe in the power of the individual, that each of us can do incredible things once we start recognizing the potential within us.”
Shraddha Chaplot has laid the groundwork, established the framework, and forged the partnerships needed for innovative opportunities to flourish both inside and outside the classroom. Whether you're a school, organization, company, student, parent, or community member, now is your chance to join her in co-creating a future where purpose-driven learning and doing thrives. Ready to be part of this transformative journey? Contact her at brains@playfulponderies.com and bring her vision to your community.