Hi, We're Michelle & Mike Peterson!

Mike & Michelle are the owners of the Challenge Island – Oakland County East program, serving southeastern Michigan and also students from around the world virtually. They have taught in schools, community education programs, and homeschool cooperatives locally in Birmingham, Brandon, Clarkston, Lake Orion, Rochester/Rochester Hills, Waterford, and West Bloomfield as well as working with students in over 9 different states plus Switzerland and South Korea!

Mike is an engineer by training, with degrees in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and business from Iowa State and MIT. Mike worked for 30 years as an engineer and manager for General Motors before retiring in 2018, and his focus has now shifted to teaching through Challenge Island and also as a special lecturer at Oakland University. Michelle studied industrial design at Arizona State University, and has worked in design positions with Hughes Aircraft, Honeywell, Fosella & Associates and General Motors, as well as in a variety of positions with local businesses and non-profits to provide graphic design and business support. Both Mike and Michelle are active in their community, and have helped local students grow their potential through volunteering with Cub & Boy Scouts, FIRST Robotics, Math Pentathlon, Science Olympiad and other organizations. They have been married for 27 years, and have three children who followed in their STEAM footsteps as engineers in Michigan and California.