Who we are, what we believe, and why the Bottor Inventor Workshop matters.
Bottor Learning Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping students become creative problem-solvers, confident readers, and young inventors. We believe every student deserves the chance to identify a real problem, build something to solve it, and present their idea with confidence.
Our flagship program, the Bottor Inventor Workshop, brings this mission to life through a structured, five-day invention process. It's guided by The BOTTOR Framework — Bring Out the Talent of Readers — our teaching philosophy for weaving literacy into every part of invention, and by Professor WiggleWoo, the inventor mentor character who guides students through the workshop.
Headquartered in Wisconsin, we deliver the workshop through foundation-hosted cohorts, in-school residencies, and library and community center partnerships — bringing hands-on invention experiences to students who need it most.
Advance literacy, innovation, and STEM through invention-based learning that empowers young inventors, creative problem-solvers, and future entrepreneurs.
We are committed to expanding access to hands-on invention experiences that prepare young learners with the knowledge, confidence, and problem-solving skills needed to succeed in school and beyond.
We believe that education transforms lives — and that great education is built on curiosity, creativity, and the confidence that comes from inventing something real. A student who learns to identify a problem, test a solution, and pitch an idea is a student who is prepared to succeed in school, their community, and the future workforce.
We also believe that access to hands-on invention experiences should not depend on a family's income, zip code, or circumstances. That is why equity and access are central to everything we do.
We put invention at the center of learning — creative, hands-on approaches that engage and inspire.
We work to remove barriers to hands-on invention experiences for all students.
We support each student's invention journey — testing, failing, and improving — with patience, encouragement, and high expectations.
We partner with educators, schools, libraries, and families to bring the Inventor Workshop to students together.
We envision a future where every student — regardless of background — has the chance to become an inventor: to identify a real problem, build something to solve it, and pitch their idea with confidence. We are working toward communities where invention-based learning is supported at home, in classrooms, and through programs that meet students where they are.
Bottor Learning Foundation is building a long-term commitment to the Bottor Inventor Workshop across Wisconsin, with a goal of expanding our reach to additional communities nationwide. Through foundation-hosted cohorts and partnerships with schools, libraries, and community organizations, we aim to create meaningful, lasting impact in how students experience learning.
The Bottor Inventor Workshop is designed for students in grades 3–5 (ages 8–11) — an age where students are ready to take on real research, design, and communication challenges, while still building foundational literacy skills. We also support the teachers, families, schools, libraries, and community partners who help bring the workshop to students.
The workshop's curriculum stays the same wherever it's delivered — as a foundation-hosted cohort, an in-school residency, or a library or community center workshop — so every student gets the same hands-on invention experience, adapted to fit their school or community.
The Bottor Inventor Workshop is our flagship program, but it's one part of a broader mission. Bottor Learning Foundation also supports literacy and access initiatives that reach students and families beyond the five-day workshop.
An interactive word game featuring Professor WiggleWoo that reinforces vocabulary and reading skills at community events and alongside the workshop.
Community hangouts — like our Demo Dat Discography Lyrical & Literacy Hangout — that bring storytelling, book access, and literacy activities directly to neighborhoods.
Book drives and giveaways that put reading materials directly into the hands of students and families who need them.
Exploring assistive and accessible technology that removes barriers to literacy and STEM learning for students of all abilities.
Instructional resources and training to help teachers and partner educators bring invention-based learning into their own classrooms.
Evening events where families build and invent together, extending the workshop experience beyond the classroom.
