We're encouraging kids to can think for themselves
Vision & Mission.
Vision: Encourage a generation of kids who can think for themselves—and stick with hard problems—in a world built to think and decide for them.
Mission: Starfire gives kids sustained time with the same teacher and a small group of peers, working on real, hands-on problems—building the habits of clear thinking that a single class period never allows.
What we believe
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Curiosity — the best questions are the ones worth asking, not just the ones with easy answers.
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Ownership of your thinking—tools can help you go faster; they shouldn't decide for you.
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Evidence over opinion — "I think so" is a starting point, not an ending point.
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Wrong is data—getting it wrong tells you something getting it right never could.
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Think out loud — the best ideas get better when you say them to someone else.
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Partnership—with families and with the schools we work alongside.
Our classrooms are emotionally and intellectually safe. We help kids build the habits that make real intellectual risk possible: deep thinking, curiosity, learning through mistakes, teamwork, and communication.
Small classes. Every Starfire class is a maximum of six students to one teacher.
How Starfire Works
Cancellation
Register and pay online. If Starfire isn't the right fit, withdraw within the first two weeks for a refund of the registration fee, less a $30 cancellation fee and the cost of two classes. We're unable to refund withdrawals after the two-week trial period.
Scholarships
Starfire offers limited scholarships to families with financial need, so cost is not a barrier.
Same teacher, all session
The person who teaches the first class teaches the last—the consistency that lets a child take a real intellectual risk in front of someone who knows them.
The Heart of Starfire Education
Trusted by Bay Area families since 2013.
Bob Cerf
Founder.
Bob founded Starfire to build the kind of hands-on, discovery-based learning he wished existed for kids. He holds an MBA and entered education in 2004, after a career as a senior merchandising executive at top American retailers. Over the years, he's tutored and mentored students who went on to Stanford, Princeton, and other top universities—and that experience shaped Starfire's belief that kids learn best by doing, questioning, and solving real problems.
Supriya Iyengar
supriya@starfireed.com
Chief of Programs
Supriya leads Starfire's curriculum and brand strategy. She brings 15+ years in program leadership and curriculum design across educational organizations and a background in classical music that shapes how she thinks about practice, mastery, and creative confidence. At Starfire she designs what happens in the room and how the whole experience holds together, from the first question a child asks to the way the brand tells that story.
Victoria Berahmandpour
victoria@starfireed.com
Director of Employee & Client Relations
Victoria plays a vital role in the daily ecosystem of Starfire Education, serving as the core liaison between our administration, teaching staff, and families. She oversees the onboarding journey for our educators, coordinates program logistics, and manages critical client communications—including end-of-session reporting—to ensure a seamless, supportive experience for the entire Starfire community.
Who teaches at Starfire?
Starfire teachers have relevant expertise—engineering, science, computer science, design, or education. Some are career educators; others bring decades of professional experience into the classroom. They've spent careers solving real problems, and they've chosen to spend their afternoons helping kids learn to do the same. Every teacher is carefully vetted and completes Starfire training.
What parents and students say.
Dulcy F.
"My son responds so well to the class. Shwetha was his teacher and we really liked her — I'm looking for him to stay engaged so I can focus on my work, and Starfire helps."
Isabelle S.
"Thomas loves the Scratch class. He's been trying to do a lot of programming on his own between classes — he's now asking for more."
Wang W.
"I just want to thank you for the wonderful sessions this summer! Joshua has learnt so much and expecially had so much fun in the classes!"