Effective Date: October 28, 2025

HorizonSTEM Outreach ("HorizonSTEM," "we," "us," or "our") is a student-led, non-profit initiative dedicated to promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education for middle and elementary school students. We are committed to protecting the privacy of our website visitors and participants.

This Privacy Policy describes how we handle information in connection with the horizonstem.org website (the "Site") and our related activities.

1. Information We Do Not Collect

The core mission of HorizonSTEM is to provide educational resources and information. We do not actively collect any Personal Information directly from visitors through the Site.

Specifically:

• No Registration or Accounts: We do not require users to register for an account to access the Site.
• No Contact Forms: We do not host any "Contact Us" or general inquiry forms that collect names, email addresses, or phone numbers.
• No Direct Financial Transactions: We do not process donations, payments, or sales of goods/services directly through the Site.
• No Comment Sections or User-Generated Content: We do not allow visitors to post or upload any content to the Site.

2. Information We May Collect Automatically (Usage Data)

Like most websites, our Site may automatically collect certain non-personal information about your visit for the purpose of maintaining and improving the Site's performance and security. This Usage Data may include:

• Log Data: Your Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, operating system, the pages of our Site that you visit, the time and date of your visit, the time spent on those pages, and other statistics.
• Device Information: Information about the device you use to access the Site, such as device type, screen resolution, and unique device identifiers.
• Referral Information: The website you visited immediately before and immediately after accessing our Site.

We use this Usage Data solely for internal purposes, such as analyzing website traffic, diagnosing technical problems, and improving the overall user experience. This data is not linked to any identifiable individual.

3. Children's Privacy (A Note on COPPA)

HorizonSTEM's content is primarily directed at middle and elementary school students. We are deeply committed to complying with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

• No Intentional Collection from Children: Since we do not have any interactive features that collect Personal Information (such as sign-up forms, comment sections, or member areas), we do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose Personal Information from children under the age of 13.
• Parental Guidance: We strongly encourage parents and guardians to monitor their children's online activities and to help enforce this Policy by instructing their children never to provide Personal Information through this Site.
• If a Parent Believes Information Was Collected: If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with Personal Information, please contact us immediately using the contact information provided below. We will take steps to promptly remove such information from our records.

4. Third-Party Links and External Resources

The Site contains links to external websites and resources that are not operated by us, such as Code.org, Tinkercad, Scratch, Khan Academy, NASA STEM for Students, and PBS Kids ScratchJr. These links are provided for informational and educational purposes only. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services. When you click on a link to an external site, you are subject to that site's terms and privacy policies. We encourage you to review the Privacy Policy of every site you visit.

5. Disclosure of Information

Since we do not collect Personal Information, there is no Personal Information to sell, trade, rent, or otherwise transfer to outside parties. We may disclose non-personal Usage Data if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

• Comply with a legal obligation (e.g., a court order or subpoena).
• Protect and defend the rights or property of HorizonSTEM.
• Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Site.
• Protect the personal safety of users of the Site or the public.

6. Security of Data

The security of your data is important to us. While we do not collect sensitive Personal Information, we employ commercially acceptable means to protect the integrity and security of the Site and any Usage Data we collect. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure.

7. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Effective Date" at the top of this document. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

8. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us:

This document was last updated on October 28, 2025.