IN THIS ISSUE
Adult Iowans' Evolving Attitudes toward STEM
STEM BEST Chemistry Lab Makeover
"Today's youth will be the innovators of tomorrow who carry Kemin into the future." Why Businesses Take Part in Externships
Computer Science is Elementary
Grant Awardees Announced
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May 2, 2019 - 5:00 p.m.
West Central Valley EAC STEM Festival
May 6, 2019 - 12:00 p.m.
Southwest Regional STEM Advisory Board Meeting
May 13, 2019 - 5:00 p.m.
AHSTW CSD Elementary STEM Festival
May 16, 2019 - 3:00 p.m.
Northwest Regional STEM Advisory Board Meeting
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Adult Iowans' Evolving Attitudes toward STEM
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Regardless of where they live, Iowans are ever more likely to have read, seen or heard about STEM education.
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This year’s annual survey of Iowans, conducted by the Center for Social and Behavioral Research (CSBR) at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), indicates growing awareness and support for STEM education. This seventh year, 1,006 randomly selected citizens were asked their perceptions of STEM in both English and Spanish. Data were weighted in order to proportionally account for gender, age, ethnicity, race, education and residence. Key findings include:
- Sixty-two percent of Iowans have read, seen or heard about STEM education, a significant increase since 2012 (26%). Importantly, the gap between rural/urban and high/low income on this measure has narrowed.
- A gap continues to persist between Iowans’ who believe that STEM education should be a priority in their local schools (96%) and their view as to whether it is a priority at school (59%).
- A similar gap surfaced on a new item asking Iowans if it is important for businesses to be involved in STEM partnerships with K-12 schools (89% agree or strongly agree) and if businesses in their area are involved in K-12 STEM partnerships (49% agree or strongly agree).
- Support among Iowans for resources to be devoted to STEM education remains strong with over 90 percent agreeing or strongly agreeing.
Along with continued gains come challenges for the STEM Council in the coming months and years. These findings from the CSBR help make data-driven decisions. Results of the survey will be incorporated into the annual report to the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. The report is available upon request to
Info@IowaSTEM.gov
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STEM BEST Chemistry Lab Makeover
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May 2018 Old Chemistry lab at West Delaware High School
–Picture courtesy of Claire Rausch
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December 2018 New Chemistry lab
–Picture courtesy of Danielle Krogmann
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Work-based learning got personal for a West Delaware High School chemistry student. In 2017-2018 the high school offered a new elective,
DelCo
BEST. This class connects students with local businesses to undertake real-world, work-based projects and create authentic learning opportunities.
The school itself can present projects and pitch problems which have been identified. One such project was the school’s chemistry lab. The lab had grown dated and potentially unsafe, rendering it in urgent need of an upgrade. After struggling to find a good design themselves, forward thinking administrators decided to tap into one of their greatest assets, their students.
The project was pitched to the
DelCo
BEST class and student Karley VanTheemsche became the lead in this close-to-home undertaking. VanTheemsche designed the new lab working closely with the Wisconsin Bench Company, Superintendent Kristen Rickey, the architect in charge of this project and multiple teachers in the school.
It highlights up-to-date technology including smartboards, TV’s and iPads. Students can even connect their cell phones to the TV and show the whole class a successful experiment. The design incorporates new desks that can move into pods for easy collaboration. One of the most important aspects is the addition of the new fume hood to ventilate the lab of any residual experimental fumes.
Not only does this school benefit from a wonderful new design and chemistry lab, the student leadership in directing this project has enticed others to take part in
DelCo
BEST. One year later, students cite the “Chem Lab” as an inspiration for signing up for
DelCo
BEST. They, too, want an opportunity to leave their mark and legacy at their school. More information about the STEM BEST
®
programs of the Governors STEM Advisory Council may be accessed
here
.
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"Today's youth will be the innovators of tomorrow who carry Kemin into the future."* Why Businesses Take Part in Externships
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Carlisle High School Science teacher Aaron Hahn externed recently at Kemin Industries
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There are roughly 40,000 Iowa businesses of five employees or more. Each one depends on education systems to prepare their future hires. What better way to assure applicants come to the door commanding the skills and knowledge needed than to partner with local teachers in shaping what gets taught and how?
One hundred-seventy-two Iowa workplaces have been doing just that by welcoming teachers of mathematics, science and technology onto construction sites, shop floors, warehouses, hospitals, nature preserves, tech suites, R & D labs, retail stores, farms, maintenance sheds, refineries, military installations, zoos, museums and myriad local businesses during summertime. Six weeks as “temporary workers” add value to company operations, while sending teachers back to school in the fall fully armed to link learning to real uses while trumpeting local careers.
"Teachers are some of the key influencers in students' lives as they prepare for their futures beyond the classroom," said Kemin R & D Director for Crop Technologies, Emily Fuerst. "Kemin wants to help bring awareness to all the STEM opportunities right here in Iowa, and we realized working with teachers directly could be a great way to do so." Kemin has hosted 28 externs since 2009.
A Hy-Vee executive commented that “[the Externs] bring a fresh set of eyes to our business and can offer solutions we may not have even considered. They in turn get real life experiences they can take back to the classroom with real life examples that kids can relate to.” A Pella Corporation supervisor found value in the partnership, “...our Extern did a lot of research and created an amazing database that we had wanted to do for several years but had not found the time. Not only did she do this, but she came up with graphs for figuring out some future costs that will help us immensely in marketing our services.”
* Kemin R & D Director for Crop Technologies, Emily Fuerst
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Computer Science is Elementary
Grant Awardees Announced
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Governor Kim Reynolds announced at today’s STEM Education + Workplace Partnerships: Governor's 2019 Future Ready Iowa Summit the six schools selected to receive $50,000 grants each as part of the Computer Science is Elementary project. The Governor’s STEM Advisory Council and the Iowa Department of Education are partnering with businesses and industries to support six high-poverty elementary schools in transforming themselves into models of innovative computer science instruction. The goal is to create more opportunity for their students and establish a network of computer science expertise as a statewide resource.
The six schools are:
- Denison Elementary in the Denison Community School District;
- Lenihan Intermediate in the Marshalltown Community School District;
- Cora B. Darling Elementary in the Postville Community School District;
- East Union Elementary in the East Union Community School District;
- Perry Elementary in the Perry Community School District;
- Richardson Elementary in the Fort Madison Community School District
"Computer science is a new basic skill that's required for success in a workforce constantly impacted by innovation and technology," said Gov. Reynolds. "With tomorrow's workers sitting in today's classrooms, we must prepare our students to be continuous learners and adaptable for the disruptive economy of the future."
Thirty schools competed for the six awards, made possible thanks to generous support from private-sector partners who invested $350,000 total: Collins Aerospace as the lead sponsor, Principal Financial Group, MidAmerican Energy, Kemin Industries, Microsoft, Google, ITC Midwest, Alliant Energy, Technology Association of Iowa, Verizon, Paragon IT, AT&T, School Administrators of Iowa, Workiva, Pella Rolscreen Foundation, Merchant Bonding and Bankers Trust.
Loess Hills Computer Programming School, the inspiration for the Computer Science is Elementary project, also will receive a $50,000 grant to serve as a project resource.
The six schools selected to receive the $50,000 planning grants will implement their programs no later than the 2020-21 school year with regular school funding like Loess Hills Computer Programming School.
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Contact the Iowa STEM Operations Center by phone at (319) 273-2959
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