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Created out of an urge to help his community, Hempstead native Doron Spleen founded the STEM-focused nonprofit Morrison Mentors.
Since its launch, Spleen said the organization has positively impacted more than 13,000 students while living by the motto, “Each one, teach one.”
Spleen received a scholarship to attend Rochester Institute of Technology. After traveling and working for organizations including the New York Jets and Goldman Sachs, he returned home and said he realized many children in his neighborhood did not have access to the same opportunities he had.
“I decided to start Morrison Mentors because the failure rate in my district was alarmingly high,” Spleen said. “I wanted to play my part in making a difference in the community.”
According to the New York State Education Department, the graduation rate in Hempstead’s school district for the 2011-12 school year, around the time the nonprofit was founded, was 38 percent. It was the lowest rate for a school district on Long Island at the time.
Spleen was also inspired by his mentor, educator Arthur Morrison.
“[He] was a community figure in Hempstead,” Spleen said. “He was everything to a lot of kids in Hempstead who didn’t have much of anything.”
Following in Morrison’s footsteps, Spleen’s mobile STEM nonprofit works with students as young as 4 years old through high school, teaching science, technology, engineering and math.
Students who participate in Morrison Mentors also have the chance to pass on what they learn. They can train to teach the organization’s curriculum, become instructors and receive a stipend for their work while helping their peers.
“It is very satisfying and rewarding to witness peer-to-peer knowledge transfer,” Spleen said.
Matthew Cathnott was first introduced to the organization 10 years ago, when his mother signed him up for Morrison Mentors’ computer and HTML coding classes at Hofstra University. He credits the nonprofit with helping shape him into the person he is today.
“Morrison Mentors has presented me with so many opportunities and placed me in a variety of roles,” said Cathnott, a 22-year-old Monroe University graduate. “By placing me in leadership roles, they have not only enhanced my ability to communicate, but also helped me develop strong delegation and empathy skills. Also, the program has given me the ability to understand technology on a deeper level. But what I like the most about Morrison Mentors is making kids smile. Going into the classroom and teaching and seeing the faces of the kids light up is something I cherish dearly.”
His mother, Beverley, echoed that sentiment.
“My child has grown tremendously through the program,” she said. “It has brought out strong leadership qualities in him, allowing him to step up with confidence and set a positive example for the other students. The biggest impact has been my child being able to see a mentor who looks like him. Representation matters, and having that example in front of him has shown him what is possible for his future.”
This past October, the nonprofit took on a major undertaking, hosting Long Island’s first STEM X Festival at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City.
The two-day event featured exhibits and workshops focused on science, technology, engineering and math, including drones, coding challenges, slime labs, virtual reality stations and more.
“The response from the community was overwhelmingly positive,” Spleen said. “We had 3,594 total attendees!”
Long Island resident and former middle school principal Anne Marie Malcolm attended the festival with her grandson, Jordan. She said the event was a wonderful experience for her, Jordan and the community, and that she would “absolutely” attend another one.
“From the moment we arrived, the energy was vibrant, welcoming and thoughtfully organized,” Malcolm said. “The activities were engaging, hands-on and clearly designed to spark curiosity in young minds. Jordan is 2 years old, and it was beautiful to see how naturally curious and engaged he was throughout. He was especially drawn to the hands-on elements. I believe in exposing children to STEM experiences early. The earlier we nurture curiosity, the stronger their foundation for learning becomes.”
There are plans to bring the festival back in 2026. Morrison Mentors is also in the process of creating an incubator and café in downtown Hempstead.
Top: Doron Spleen. (Photo credit: Morrison Mentors)
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