March 2019 Newsletter 
Tis the season of STEM FESTIVALS
STEM Festival a definition : that place where businesses and organizations gather to share information about careers and work practices with students who will become the future workforce.
STEM Festival an event : where information is exchanged, learning occurs, and students have a context for what to do when they grow up.
STEM Festival an exchange : where everyone who participates has increased awareness about what they can contribute and how much they take-away after STEM sharing.

The SW STEM Region is co-sponsoring 21 Student Festivals in the region this year, and has had more requests that could not be met due to time and funding restrictions.

Welcome to first-time FESTIVALS : Earlham CSD, Boyer Valley (Dow City Elementary), Clarinda CSD with two festivals (HS and Elementary/MS) Shelby County Early Childhood Festival, Adair Casey Elementary Festival, Nodaway Valley Elementary Festival, and West Central Valley Festival.

A special STEM for Girls Festival (3 years in the planning) will be held at the SW Valley Middle School on April 19th for students in 5 - 8th grade.   For more details check out the registration link on the SW Valley CSD Webpage.  Keynote speaker for the event will be Major Jen, a Blackhawk Helicopter Pilot in the Iowa Army National Guard and featured STEM Gem Poster Career in 2017.

SAVE the date- registration now open for 2019 Summit
Planning is almost complete for the 2019 Future Ready Iowa - STEM Summit titled "STEM Education + Workplace Partnerships" to be held on April 30th at the Iowa Events Center. Peggy Whitson Iowa's Favorite Astronaut, now a Space Consultant, will be the Keynote Speaker.
The Summit Agenda includes remarks from a number of state and national leaders in business, labor and education. It includes an interactive speed showcase of work-based learning partnerships with employers, students and educators.
More information and the agenda can be found at the link below. 
Iowa Teacher Externships in matching stage
Educators interested in the 2019 Teacher Externship program should make sure to complete the application soon as staff are in the phase which matches business partners with educators. Details are covered in the link attached. Featured at right is Nathan VanZante who interned with Iowa DNR and the Montgomery County Conservation Board.

What cones next?? Scale-Up
Thanks to applicants and reviewers!
Many thanks to the Scale-Up program applicants from every corner of the SW STEM Region. Over 150 applications representing more than 300 educators were received.
Also many thanks to the multiple reviewers who have been combing through the applications. It is a detailed process to make sure that the objectives of the review process are met as much as possible.
The outcome: there will be first- round awards, and a waiting list of other applications in case additional funding becomes available.
Announcement of the awardees will be on April 9th. All actions are then in a pending status until the signing of the funding legislation later.