ACTE National Policy Seminar
Arlington, VA; March 13-15, 2017
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is dedicated to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for a wide range of high-wage, high-skill, and high-demand careers. This year's theme is "Forging New Paths." Attendees will gain insights on the new Congress and Administration, hear updates and projections on CTE-related policy initiatives, legislation, and funding via keynote speakers, policy breakout sessions, and opportunities to network with policymakers. Register.

International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) Conference
Dallas, TX; March 16-18, 2017
The ITEEA conference provides an opportunity for technology and engineering educators to gain comprehensive professional development and networking experiences. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from and share with other technology and engineering STEM education professionals in a variety of formats. This year's theme is "Engaging and Empowering Decision Makers through Integrative STEM Education." Register.

National Afterschool Association (NAA) Convention
Dallas, TX; March 19-22, 2017
The NAA is dedicated to the development, education, and care of children and youth during their out-of-school hours. This year's theme is, "Rising to the Challenge. Game On!" NGCP is offering a session (March 21, 2017 at 9:30 AM) titled Six Strategies for Creating Community of Practice. Session participants will learn ways to increase the capacity and impact of their programs and will receive strategies for creating an effective Community of Practice. Register.

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Conference
Los Angeles, CA; March 30-April 2, 2017
The NSTA offers the latest in science content, teaching strategy, and research to enhance and expand professional growth. The conference has four strands that explore topics of current significance: NGSS: The Next Generation of Science Teaching, 2017: A STEM Odyssey, Science & Literacy Reloaded, and Mission Possible: Equity for Universal Access. Register.

BOOST (Best of Out-of-School Time) Conference
Palm Springs, CA; April 18-21, 2017
Participants will have the opportunity to network, participate in team-building activities, and learn about the latest trends and research in innovative and quality out-of-school time programming. Register.

National Summit for Educational Equity (NSEE)
Arlington, VA; April 24-27, 2017
The NSEE will bring together leaders in educational equity to build capacity, knowledge, and skills to transform education, enrich classrooms, and improve student success. The 2017 theme is "Reach Greater Heights with Access, Equity, and Diversity." Early bird registration ends March 18, 2017. Register.

The Connectory Spotlight highlights programs and opportunities in The Connectory. The Connectory is a free online collaboration tool for STEM program providers to find partners based on interests as well as a platform to showcase STEM opportunities to families.
 
In recognition of Pi Day (March 14th), we are featuring a program provider that offers lots of great opportunities designed to foster an appreciation for math. The Imagine Children's Museum promotes the power of play: learning and growing by doing what every child loves to do best. Its interactive exhibits and activities encourage children (ages 1-12) and their families to role play, experiment, splash, think, wander, and create together in a place where they can feel physically and emotionally safe.

Imagine's Science Sleuths series is designed for kids (ages 6-12). Kids can investigate and discover in hands-on classes. Each two-hour class provides opportunities for inquiry learning, projects, experiments, and take-home ideas. The following three Science Sleuth opportunities are lined up for March.

Rockin' Rollercoasters - Use the Engineering Design Process to build and test a model rollercoaster in this kids-only science and math program.

Aviation Variations - Investigate the principles of flight through building and testing paper airplanes in this kids-only science and math program.

Sports Numbers - Test your reaction time and learn the ways that math is used in sports in this kids-only science and math program.

Join The Connectory to collaborate with STEM programs and promote your upcoming STEM opportunities to families. Opportunities are visible publicly to families. Programs are visible to other STEM providers. And thanks to our partnership with VolunteerMatch, you can link your accounts and recruit volunteers to grow your non-profit STEM program, taking advantage of our new Volunteer Listings page.

Stay connected to The Connectory:

Click! The Ongoing Feminist Revolution

Click! highlights the collective action and individual achievements of women from the 1940s to the present. Features film clips, extensive interactive timelines, and in-depth essays. Designed to engage students, assist educators and researchers, and appeal to a wide public audience.

Status of Women in the States
Created by the Institute for Women's Policy Research, this report provides data that change agents can use to improve the status of women, which is integral to strengthening economic growth and prosperity for local communities and the nation as a whole. The data can be used to raise awareness, improve policies, and promote women's equality. Explore the data.

National Women's History Museum
The National Women's History Museum educates, inspires, empowers, and shapes the future by integrating women's distinctive history into the culture and history of the U.S. The website includes an Education & Resource section with biographies, lesson plans, videos, and other interactive resources.

PBS Learning Media: Community Classroom
Community Classroom is a film and curriculum resource series that brings to life some of today's most vital social issues by pairing film modules from award-winning documentaries with standards-based lesson plans. The Women's History Month collection focuses on women and girls around the world. The films tell powerful, personal stories; and the activities encourage students to learn and understand international struggles and take an active role in addressing local concerns.

Computer Science Learning: Closing the Gap
Google K-12 has released a new research brief that focuses exclusively on the K-12 CS experiences of Black students in the U.S. and provides specific recommendations as informed by the "Diversity Gaps in Computer Science" report. The findings highlight that while many Black students show high interest and confidence in learning CS, many lack opportunities to learn CS compared to White and Hispanic students.

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The National Girls Collaborative Project™ is partially funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, GSE/EXT: National Girls Collaborative Project: Building the Capacity of STEM Practitioners to Develop a Diverse Workforce, Grant No. HRD-1532643.

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