March 2020 SC STEM Hub Newsletter
Connecting at a Distance
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In This Issue...
- Greetings from Home
- BEST Webinar Today
- Meet Carla Eysink, New Board Member
- Iowa STEM Teachable Moment
- SC Outdoor Photo Contest
- Readers Needed for Book Blog
- Iowa Dept. for the Blind + STEM
- Thanks Board Members
- Calendar of Events
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Contact Information:
Dr. Sarah Derry,
SC Regional Manager
Phone
:
515-271-2403
Website
: https://scstemhub.drake.edu/
Email
:
scstemhub@drake.edu
Hashtag:
#STEMinYourWorld
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Greetings from Home:
Closure-Related Updates
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Many of us have a new normal this month, with a work wardrobe consisting of joggers and a t-shirt and office mates who include children and pets. But even with school closures, the SC STEM Hub is here to serve.
If you're a parent or teacher seeking resources, please let us know. We'd love to help you find what you need. Email
scstemhub@drake.edu
. In the subject line, please add Resource Needed.
Hub Lending Library Materials, Festivals and Meetings:
- If you currently have a Hub kit, please keep it until further notice. We are working on getting products and procedures in place to sanitize all items that come back.
- All new checkout requests are on hold, as we get some guidance on sterilization.
- All festivals and meetings have been postponed or canceled. Look for exciting events to come once it's safe for everyone to gather.
Ongoing Iowa STEM Opportunities:
- Scale-Ups will be awarded via email on April 7. Managers will reach out to all who applied.
- STEM BEST applications are due May 15. Webinar info in this newsletter. Click HERE to learn more.
At-Home State Resources:
Iowa STEM has created additional online resources to add educational content and help pass the time.
Most importantly, take care of yourselves. We look forward to seeing you all soon.
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STEM BEST Webinar Live at 3:30
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"How to navigate the online database for application submission"
WEBINAR
On March 31 from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m., the STEM Council will be hosting an informational webinar to discuss the online application portal. The webinar will highlight how to start an application, key components of the application including support documentation from district leadership and community partners, and how to incorporate multiple districts or school buildings into the application.
To join the webinar:
If you're unable to join, we'll post a link to the recording after the event.
BACKGROUND
The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council is accepting applications for the STEM BEST® Program until May 15, 2020.
A total of 63 STEM BEST® Programs have been awarded to date. These models feature public-private partnerships between schools and local businesses and are cost-shared enterprises that match the STEM Council’s investment with local dollars to help build the continuum from school to career through hands-on learning.
STEM BEST grants of up to $25,000 are available and allow for ample flexibility in design to encourage and support organic development of STEM BEST® Programs which utilize local strengths, challenges and resources. Further details on the STEM BEST® program can be found at
NEED HELP?
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Meet SC Advisory Board Member
Carla Eysink
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Above: Carla Eysink (center, pink sweater) is pictured with attendees from Marion County at the recent Iowa Tourism Conference.
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Last fall, Carla Eysink joined the SC STEM Hub’s Advisory Board, bringing experience from the economic development sector and a helpful perspective on rural Iowa.
For the past 25 years, Eysink has served as Executive Director for the Marion County Development Commission. She works to increase business and workforce development and to promote tourism.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Eysink enjoys the variety her job entails. She spends her days completing the following challenges:
- designing brochures, ads, websites, and social media;
- communicating with elected officials;
- building professional development opportunities;
- managing contracts, studies, data analysis, and reporting requirements;
- bridging community leaders across industry, housing, workforce upskilling/recruitment, tourism, development, childcare, transportation, broadband, etc.;
- leading a citizen commission;
- and more.
A PASSION FOR STEM
One reason why Eysink is so interested in STEM is because of the direct impact it has on the success of rural communities.
"We have over 7,000 manufacturing jobs in a rural county with just over 33,000 people,” said Eysink. “Marion County ranks in the top 18 percent of US counties for median household income.” She noted that most of the current and future jobs are connected to STEM. “We want to keep companies growing and expanding in our county, so they need a skilled workforce.”
Eysink enjoys connecting with businesses and figuring out their current and future workforce needs. “We then connect this information to educational entities who are preparing students for the workforce,” she said. Her efforts find their way into schools, and a strong school district helps communities thrive.
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EARLY STEM INSPIRATIONS
Eysink, who has traveled the world and performed with various bands and choir groups, is now known by her colleagues as somewhat of a data g
uru. "
The flower photo [at right] is one I took showing the combination of artistic and analytic." she said.
Her curiosity for the world likely began through her travels. “When I was a teen,” said Eysink, “my parents often took me out of class to travel with them. I was able to see many parts of the world. That began my quest for understanding of what makes an ideal place.”
In addition to travel, she said three high school teachers provided inspiration:
- “Coach Bob Spencer, who taught us at basketball camp not only the skills for playing the game, but also how to live your life."
- "Mr. K, who was my high school advanced math teacher who allowed us to work at our pace. He did not make us conform to one way of solving a problem but worked to understand our logic to develop solutions."
- "Mrs. DeKraai, who taught me how to give my thoughts a voice by writing."
CAREER ADVICE
When Eysink began, she estimates fewer than 10 percent of those in her career path were women. “Economic developers only focused on bringing in large companies to an area," she said, "but as more women came into the profession, we started to see a change to a more comprehensive view of economic development…Now, the profession is equally split between men and women.”
For students hoping to work in the economic sector, Eysink offers some guidance.
- Find a good mentor.
- Immerse yourself in job experiences, like internships, that will help you hone in on what you do well and really enjoy.
- Take on leadership roles that allow you to develop important skills when working with people.
All good advice, no matter what career area holds your interest.
----------------------------------------------------
Carla Eysink serves as
Executive Director of the Marion County
Development Commission. You can reach her at 641-828-2257 or
email carla@redrockarea.com.
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Iowa STEM Page Offers
At-Home Resources
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Iowa STEM invites you to visit their Teachable Moment website page. It's a collection of lessons and activities curated by the State STEM Network Team and designed to help students and caregivers continue learning during the suspension of schooling for COVID-19 mitigation.
If you try something from the website or create your own STEM activity, please share your project-related photos with #TeachableMoment or tag @IowaSTEM in the post.
Finally, if you have resources, ideas, lessons, and/or tips that would be helpful, please send feedback to
Info@IowaSTEM.gov
.
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Get Outside Photo Contest
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Above: Buffalo Yoga--brought to you daily by Jester Park.
Nature photos can be uplifting, funny, peaceful, and inspiring. For this reason, we're hosting the Get Outside Photo Contest. How it works:
- Go outside and take pictures.
- All ages welcome to submit (we'll make categories if we need to).
- Email us your best shot(s) from nature--anything from foliage to animals to Big Foot!
- Include a caption--sometimes the caption makes the photo! See the example above for ideas.
- Three incredibly talented judges (P.S. email us if you're willing to judge) will choose their favorites each week of April.
- We'll award a Hub t-shirt and drawstring bag (and other great stuff we have sitting around) to all winners.
- Photos may be shared via the Hub's social media and newsletter. We'll only use first names, unless you give us permission to use your whole name.
This is going to be epic, like National Geographic's Shot of the Day, so get out there now and start snapping photos.
Have questions OR ready to submit a photo and caption? Click
HERE
to email.
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Calling STEM Readers of
All Ages!
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The bright-side of this change in schedule is that we finally have time to create blog content and really want to give it a nice refresh.
We know many of you are reading
STEM-related books. Please
email us
IF you're willing to share your book. All levels and genres welcome, as long as there's a tie to STEM.
Click HERE to connect
.
If you need ideas for your next read, please click
HERE
to check out our past three posts and more.
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Leo, one of our favorite young readers, stopped by the blog today. He’s in 4th grade and loves Legos, playing outside, and reading. Right now, he’s respecting the quarantine request, but his days aren’t so bad. They begin with recess and end with a field trip. This post is about what he does in between. This week, he read THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND and completed a STEM activity related to the book.
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Youth Services Librarian Jennifer Leveck knows kids and books. She works at the Franklin Avenue Branch of the Des Moines Public Library System. From pre-K to teen, she’s in charge of bringing the best youth programming and books to the community. We asked her to recommend some great middle grade titles with STEM elements for kids in grades 2nd-7th. Best of all, the library has copies (often multiple) of all these books.
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IF SUN COULD SPEAK takes on a larger-than life voice to guide us through a day, a year, the history, and the solar system. Most page turns also serve as a two-level read. The narrative voice is quick and spunky, but author Kourtney LaFavre adds another layer for readers who want to study the pages and take time for a deeper dive. Comic-book type frames add details in fun ways. When science terms are used, she takes care to add an explanation in simple terms.
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Scale-Up Educators: We want to hear from you
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Scale-Up Evaluation Reminder
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Starting next week, be on the lookout for an email invitation to complete your 2019-2020 STEM Scale-Up evaluation. As part of your STEM Scale-Up agreement, all educators who implement a Scale-Up program are expected to complete two evaluation tasks. This includes:
1) Complete an online educator survey. An email will be sent to you next week from our evaluation team at Iowa State (
brandige@iastate.edu
) with the subject line 'Evaluation Instructions for your STEM Scale-Up Program.' The email will contain a link to complete the survey. The link is unique to you so that you won't get additional email reminders after you complete the survey.
2) Submit a student participant list to Iowa Testing Programs. Instructions for submitting the list will be in the email invitation, and can also be found at
https://iowastem.gov/scale-monitoring
.
We know your ability to complete the evaluation may be affected by school closures and will work with you in the weeks ahead. We value your feedback about your STEM Scale-Up Program, and use the information to improve the programs from year to year.
Thanks in advance for your help.
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Iowa Department for the Blind Focuses on STEM
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Above: Board members learn that every visually impaired person earning their independent living requirement must do a wood shop project.
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On March 11, the Iowa Department for the Blind (IDFB) hosted SC STEM’s Regional Advisory Board. The IDFB provides many services for Iowans with visual impairment of all ages, including independent living strategies, adaptive technology, Braille print materials, and more.
BRINGING STEM TO ALL STUDENTS
Director Emily Wharton, who provided an overview of services, grew up in Northeast Iowa, reading big print as best she could. She didn’t learn Braille until she was an adult. As a child, she was chosen to take a science test for a special gifted program but couldn’t see the text, even after an extra light was brought in. Without being able to see the test, she didn’t score well.
Now, her mission is to make sure that doesn’t happen to kids today. “I want to make sure blind kids have the chance to do STEM,” said Wharton, “and I want to make sure our business partners know blind kids can do STEM.”
HELP FOR BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATION
Do you know what to do if a visually impaired customer comes in? Need advice on hiring a visually impaired person? If you’re a business or organization leader, consider reaching out to the IDFB. Ashley West,
Business Engagement Specialist
, can help, and all services are free. Contact her at
ashley.west@blind.state.ia.us
/ 515-802-4651.
STEM festival exhibitors accessed Tyler Swett, Accessible Media Specialist for the IDOF, for feedback and resources to ensure their festival activities were accessible to all. Have a question about how to ensure your Scale-Up or STEM festival activity is accessible? Tyler can help. Contact him at
tyler.swett@blind.state.ia.us
/ 515-452-1343.
PLANNING FOR STEM SUCCESS
On February 29, the Hub partnered with the IDFB to host a STEM Festival for the public (photo collage below). The goal of the event was to ensure all students are included in STEM.
Wharton explained that three factors determine the future of a successfully employed blind person: the ability to read/write Braille, educational attainment and peer mentors for support.
She also hopes everyone has three takeaways regarding people who are visually impaired:
- Assume it can be done (accommodations, job skills, adaptive technology).
- Involve visually impaired kids and adults in STEM and believe in their ability and knowledge base for future jobs.
- Know the Iowa Department for the Blind is here to help!
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SC Advisory Board: Here for You!
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Thanks to our South Central Regional Advisory Board for always showing up--meetings, festivals, tours, special events and more. Behind the scenes, board members volunteer to provide Hub direction, serve on special committees, evaluate applications, review inform
ation, and more.
Board members include:
- Creighton Cox – Turner Construction Company
- Carla Eysink – Marion County Economic Development Director
- Sherry Ford – ISU Extention and Outreach
- Breanne Garrett – William Penn University Professor
- Nadilia Gomez – Iowa AgriTech Accellerator
- Mauree Haage – North Mahaska Public School District *
- Kari Hanson – DMACC
- Jonathan Holmen – McGough Construction
- Ronda McCarthy – St. Theresa’s School Teacher
- Alison Mohr – Carlisle School District
- Tyler (T.J.) Myerholz – Ryan Companies
- Amber Pargmann – John Deere--Ottumwa *
- Marhsall Payne – Qualmar Technology Group
- Laura Williams – Iowa AEA Online
* = board co-chairs
If you'd like to serve on our board, or any other state
board, click
HERE
for info.
Photo collage below: Check out our board in action!
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Calendar of Events
If you have a STEM-related class, celebration, tribute, or event, please
email us
so we can share via social media and/or our event calendar.
April 7
-- Scale-Up Awardees Notified
May 15
-- BEST Application Closes
June
-- Summer Externs Begin--Apply Now!
July
-- BEST Recipients Announced, date TBA
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