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Mary Trent NW Regional STEM Manager Send me an email! |
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Northwest Regional Advisory Board Members
A special thank you to the STEM Advisory Board
of NW Iowa
Teresa Alesch, Emmetsburg
John Bedward, Storm Lake
Kathleen Bottaro, Sioux City
Benjamin Bouza,
Hawarden
Derek Brower, Orange City
Beth Bunkers, Primghar
Eric Forseth,
Sioux Center
Linda Gray, Everly
Ginny Gunderson, Lake Park
Kiana Johnson, Primghar
Nancy McDowell, Sheldon
Jordan Menning, Rock Rapids
Teresa Putnam, Hartley
Brenda Welch, Meriden
Mark Zabawa, Spencer
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Your Community
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Your Events
Learning happens inside and outside of the classroom.
Learning can happen to anyone at any age.
so
learning
can happen anywhere, anytime, for anyone.
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STEM is the foundation for innovative problem-solving and discovery through exploratory learning. It is important for teachers, students, parents, businesses and communities to connect and have awareness, and access to world-class STEM education opportunities. In Northwest Iowa, we are committed to growing STEM education and opportunities.
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Winter STEM Festival
Thursday, December 28, 2017
9:00 - 3:00
DMACC Campus
Carroll, IA
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Healthy Living Festival 
The Healthly Living Festival was held on November 4, 2017 in Sheldon. Children in grades 4-8
attended
from the surrounding areas. Attendees enjoyed learning more about making healthy food and drink choices, heart rate monitors, and fun ways to exercise.
The event that was held at Northwest Iowa Community College. The festival was
hosted by ISU Extension and Outreach 4-H and Youth Development with help from NCC, the Northwest Iowa STEM Hub and Northwestern College in Orange City.
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NW STEM Advisory Board Meeting at Iowa Lakes Community College SERT Building
On November 13, the NW STEM Regional Board Meeting was held
at
the SERT Building at Iowa Lakes Community College.
The Sustainable Energy Resources and Technology (SERT) Center at Iowa Lakes Community College was built 2014 to house more advanced training, from wind and solar to HVAC and geothermal. Initially designed for light manufacturing, the abandoned building was re-purposed as an example of sustainability, with the following design concepts incorporated:
daylighting
system, radiant heated slab floor, geothermal heating, LED lighting, and solar powered rooftop cooling units. Students are able to study the various design components of the building as well as utilizing the 70-ton nacelle housed in the atrium for educational purposes. Included in the building is the Climb Training Center, which provides training for professionals for US and European climbing certification and
WindTest
North America, the North American branch of the German company that provides consultation and testing for wind project designs.
Board members Terry Putnam, Nancy McDowell, Kiana Johnson, and Jordan Menning were brave enough to get trained and climb to the top of a wind turbine! Thank you to Dan Lutat for the wonderful experience! We aim high in the NW!!
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2018 Scale-Up Programs - Mark Your Calendars
- January 22, 2018 - Application opens to educators aiming to implement selected programs.
- March 5, 2018 - Educator application closed.
- April 10, 2018 - Final scale-up selections announced.
This year, there's a particular emphasis in ensuring strong connections with Iowa's Education Standards. If you have questions about any part of the Scale-Up process, please email Dr. Sarah Derry at
scstemhub@drake.edu.
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Checkout STEM Kits
Be sure to check out our STEM kits we have available for checkout on our website:
Resources Page
We pick up and deliver! You can have them for an extended amount of time if needed.
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Precision Agriculture and Animal Science Days receive
Governor's STEM Seal
of Approval
PRIMGHAR, Iowa - Precision Agriculture and Animal Science Days, hosted every fall by Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach staff in Northwest Iowa, was recently awarded the Governor's STEM Advisory Council Seal of Approval for 2017.
The Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council focuses on increasing student interest and achievement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics throughout the state. Their goal is to prepare youth for career paths in STEM fields, such as bioscience (agriculture and health), finance, and information technology, just to name a few.
The Iowa Governor's STEM Seal of Approval was created to
enculturate
, sustain and spread STEM thinking. It indicates that the program or event - Precision Agriculture and Animal Science Days - advances Iowa's STEM initiatives, and helps spread STEM thinking and education throughout the state.
Precision Agriculture and Animal Science Days were first held in 2015 and have become an annual event which brings together high school
agriculture education
students and teachers with college and agriculture industry members.
The main goals of Precision Agriculture and Animal Science Days are:
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To engage students in hands-on precision agriculture and animal science learning.
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To create awareness of the countless career possibilities available in Iowa, and to provide youth with the information and resources needed to prepare for those careers.
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To connect youth with local business and industry leaders.
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To recognize how quickly the agriculture industry is changing, and to appreciate how quickly new opportunities can arise.
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To assist future agriculturists in meeting the challenge of producing enough food to feed more than nine billion people by 2050.
For more information on Precision Agriculture and Animal Science Days or to see about getting your organization or school involved, contact Beth Bunkers, coordinator of the event and O'Brien and Sioux County Youth and Communities Program Assistant, at 712-957-5045 or bbunkers@iastate.edu.
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STEM Advisory Boards Gather at Accumold
for Mega Meeting
Advisory board members from across the state met in Ankeny at Accumold Headquarters on November 17. This meeting gave board members a chance to share ideas, ask questions, and provide feedback through the lens of a STEM board member. Members from education and business met in their respective groups and shared ideas on how we can better get the STEM message to the masses, provide career pathways for students, and create and strengthen school-business partnerships.
Board members also took a closer look at a STEM BEST Model. Chris Like shared how Computer Science Academy at Bettendorf-Pleasant Valley partnered with John Deere. It was enlightening to hear how the school and business
partners both
benefit from the experience.
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 Share your Scale-Up Story with Us!
Were you awarded a Scale-Up Program this year? If so, please share your story and pictures with us! We will share your story in our newsletters and social media. Invite me out to see the Scale-up Program in action!
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Check out NW STEM Website!
Northwest STEM Calendar
- Stay up-to-date on all Northwest STEM
regional opportunities and even a few state-wide. Use this calendar to share your STEM events with others.
Don't forget to connect with NW STEM on social media as well!
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