May, 2017

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES
 
Click2Science

OregonASK, the National Afterschool Association, and Click2Science are partnering to recognize out-of-school time staff for their competency in offering high quality STEM experiences in their programs. Staff who participate in this pilot program will have the opportunity to demonstrate their skill and earn a STEM Micro-Credential with a digital badge to share their accomplishment.

Participants will be expected to:
  1. Take an online, self directed course that takes 2-3 hours
  2. Attend a 3 hour in-person training with a Click2Science Coach/Trainer
  3. Attend an online coaching session
  4. Practice their skill by offering STEM lessons in their program
  5. Take a knowledge quiz about the specific STEM skill they are working on
  6. Videotape themselves leading a 30 minute STEM lesson and send it to the Coach/Trainer for observation and scoring
  7. Collect student survey data and report it to Click2Science
  8. Complete all components by October 31, 2017

Participants should plan for about 7 hours in training, coaching, and observation. Participants will receive 5 hours of professional development credit from the Oregon Registry. Cost: $100.
Contact Susan Hamann for more information. [email protected] 
503-689-1656

 
Solar Eclipse Webinars

Join GO STEM on May 8 (Elementary) or May 9 (Secondary) for a webinar to brush up on your Eclipse-science and learn strategies and activities for getting your students excited about this once-in-a-lifetime scientific phenomenon happening across Oregon on August 21, 2017! Each Webinar will feature retired NASA scientist Dan Adamo, and help educators prepare students to view the eclipse safely and develop their understanding of how this amazing phenomenon occurs.

Register by clicking the dates above!

 
Saturday Academy

Saturday Academy is dedicated to inspiring girls to follow their curiosity in technology, where women are currently under-represented. They do this through classes and camps designed specifically for girls and through they Girls Engage Technology (GET) Program. Click on the links below to learn more about their awesome programming!

AWSEM Camp: Science & Engineering for Girls 
Meet female mentors with careers in STEM (grades 6-8)

Where computer geeks are chic and coding is cool  (grades 4-5 and 6-8)

The GET Program is designed to provide positive programming experiences to young girls in order to increase their confidence and interest in technology  (grades 4-5 and women engineers) 

 
Zero Robotics

Zero Robotics is coming to Oregon again this summer! We have had two successful pilot years, and we're excited to bring the program back better than ever.
Zero Robotics is a program out of MIT that offers 5 weeks of programming curriculum for middle schoolers. You can see more about the program on their website. In a nutshell, middle school students work in teams with summer program educators to learn about computer programming, coding, robotics and space engineering while gaining experience programming SPHERES (Synchronized, Position, Hold,  Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites). The program culminates in a tournament where winning teams' SPHERES battle aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Middle school participants get to see the SPHERES operate in space via a live feed from the ISS while NASA astronauts provide real-time commentary.
 
If you're interested, fill out  this form  and we'll contact you! 


Afterschool and Summer Learning Day at the Capitol

OregonASK hosted its annual Day at the Capitol May 2nd in Salem. We were joined by 30 of our partners and a group of the students from Umatilla STEM Academy. From giving out awards to champion legislators to youth educating a representative about robotics and afterschool, the day was full of fun and conversation! We are so grateful to have so many advocates in Oregon. Below are just some of the pictures from the day, check out our Facebook and Website for more pictures and stories in the days to come.



Victory for 21st Century Community Learning Centers

After a weekend of negotiations, the House released a $1.070 trillion  omnibus spending bill , which will fund the government through  September 30, 2017.  Votes on the bill are expected this week  in order to avoid a government shutdown when the continuing resolution expires at the end of the day on Friday May 5th .  
 
The big highlight for the afterschool community is that Congress increased 21st Century Community Learning Centers funding by $25 million over the FY2016 level, to $1.19 billion-a win for children, families and the country. The proposed increase means doors to quality local afterschool and summer learning programs will stay open for 1.6 million students and families. Additionally, it will make programs available for 25,000 of the 19.4 million students currently waiting for access.  This increase was a significant turn of events given that previous FY17 funding proposals would have cut up to 115,000 students from 21 st CCLC funded afterschool and summer programs. 

This is a victory for afterschool, but the fight isn't over yet- we now need to make sure that funding for 21CCLC is included in the FY2018 budget.  
Get Outside 

With spring at our doorstep and summer just around the corner, now is a great time to go outdoors with your programs and families to battle the effects of nature-deficit disorder! Here are 6 ideas for ways to get your dose of Vitamin N in May.

  1. Put nature on your calendar. It's easy to forget to get outside when your days are full of activities- putting nature on your calendar gives you a reminder, and reserves the time!
  2. Take a city hike. In urban neighborhoods, take your day packs, water and digital cameras and go look for nature. You'll find it, even if it's in an abandoned alley or in the grass along a sidewalk.
  3. Go backyard camping.
  4. Plant a garden- or do seed planting activities the kids can take home!
  5. Go Wildsnapping. For children, teenagers, and adults, wildlife and landscape photography is a good way to experience nature. Make it a scavenger hunt for a fun activity that will also get everyone moving!
  6. Go Native.  Replace part of your lawn with native plants, or take your program to a local native plants garden to learn about the flora of Oregon.
Afterschool for All Challenge

Join the national Day of Action for Afterschool on June 7, 2017. Afterschool advocates across the nation are joining together to share their powerful stories of afterschool with members of Congress.You can engage in actions as simple as sending an email or as complex as hosting a policy maker for a site visit. Click here for resources and more ways to get involved!
Meet our new STEM Vista Roddy!

Hello! My name is Roddy. I am a recent college graduate hailing from Atlanta, Georgia. I studied history and sociology at Mount 
H olyoke College. I just moved to Oregon in the fall and have been loving every moment of it so far. In my free time, I like to listen to musicals and have recently started a ceramics class. I am ver
y excited to be joining the Oregon ASK team as a STEM C oordinator Americorps VISTA. I am hoping to improve my own skills while helping Oregon youth gain access to the tools of the future! My goal is to always create safe, loving, diverse and inclusive communities. I am so eager to get started! 

VISTAs Coming to Portland

The Afterschool Alliance will be bringing together VISTAs from across the country to learn and share with one another about the various national projects they are supporting. From health & wellness, to STEM, to My Brothers Keeper, dozens of young adults from state networks will be in Oregon from May 8-11th . We can't wait to share our amazing state- and the incredible things happening in out-of-school time- with them. 
OregonASK | Wilsonville, OR 97070 | 503-689-1656 | oregonask.org


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