NW STEM November Events

November 5 -  Waterworks Training #2 - Cherokee

November 7-8 -  ITEC Conference - Des Moines- Presenting CSE   

November 8 - KILR Radio Interview- Estherville

November 10 - NW AEA Superintendent Meeting Presentation

November 18 - NW STEM Advisory Council Meeting- 

November 23 - Kingsley-Pierson CS Festival- Pierson

NW STEM Quarterly Festival

Impact Report

Below are some statistics that we've captured thus far regarding our 2022-23 festivals. It's our goal each year in the NW region to reach as many preschool -12th grade youth and their families through festivals. Involvement in festivals often results in participation in our other programs such as STEM BEST, Teacher Externships and Scale-up Program awards.  

In summary, NW Region has put on 7 festivals and events this year so far. We hope to have at least 5 more festivals/events during the remainder of the year. Our goal with festivals is to cover as much of the region each year as possible, host events in new places or places we have not held a festival in a long time. We want our festivals to reach a wide audience and promote our STEM Programs. Business and industry partners are always involved in our events. 

• 1,839 students have attended festivals so far this year. 
• Females outnumbered males in 4 of the 7 events.
• We have hosted events for all age ranges: PS - HS
• All of our events were held in rural areas, except Sioux City's Build My Future.  
• The majority of our attendees have been Caucasian, with a Hispanic population averaging15% of the total number.
• We have spent about $3,000 total on festivals and events thus far which is about $1.63 per participant.

2022-23 Festival Map

Link to Map

Ethnic Breakdown

Gender Breakdown

Participation Breakdown

Demographics for the Past 3 Years

MOC-Floyd Valley Computer Science and Authentic Learning Open House 

NW STEM, Iowa Department of Education, NewBoCo, and School Adminitrator of Iowa representatives were invited to attend a computer science and authentic learning open house on October 4, 2022 at MOC-Floyd Valley. 

Link to video of event. 

NW STEM Tours Mid American Museum of Aviation & Transportaion

NW STEM toured the Mid American Museum of Aviation & Transportation on October 10, 2022.  The Museum was established in 1989 and preserves the area's rich aviation and transportation history.  Exhibits include United Flight 232 that crash-landed at Sioux City Gateway Airport in 1989, airplanes throughout history and other historic vehicles. Recently, Fed Ex donated an airplane to the museum and they plan to convert the airplane to be a portion of the museum containing  hands-on activities, videos, and STEM related activities.  NW STEM is hoping to host a STEM Festival there in Fall 2023.  The Museum is open to the public now and school tours are welcome!   For more information about the museum, please visit: https://www.midamericaairmuseum.org/

Build My Future - Sioux City

NW STEM provided a chain reaction challenge at the Build My Future event in Sioux City on October 11, 2022.  The Build My Future Collaboration was hosted by the Home Builders Association of Greater Siouxland and Siouxland Construction Alliance. Build My Future provides high school students the opportunity to have a day to work in the construction industry through interactive exhibits. The student activities included educational displays and the opportunity to operate construction equipment such as scissors lifts, boom trucks, cranes, and excavators. Hands-on learning labs provided by our industry partners gave students a chance to install drywall, lay brick and paint. 500 plus students attended from area high schools. 

NW STEM Advisory Board Tours Emmetsburg School's STEM BEST Program 

NW STEM Advisory Board met at the Emmetsburg School and heard a presentation about their STEM BEST Program Partnership award in 2020. Representatives from the school provided an update on the focus of the project to date.

The goal of the 2020 project is to bring authentic learning experiences to students. While they reviewed the No Boundaries Program in existence in neighboring school districts, Emmetsburg decided to implement the STEM Innovator program and adapt this to their students in all grade levels. The goal is to develop a pathway to create future ready students in grades K-12, working with pockets to students and expanding each year.

Emmetsburg worked with the Jacobson Institute at the University of Iowa to certify educators as STEM Innovator Teachers. The school district also created the STEM teacher position. To date, teachers have worked with students in kindergarten, 1st grade, 5th grade, middle school students, gifted students, sophomore English and industrial technology students. Emmetsburg is working to ensure that all students will benefit from STEM Scale-Up Programs. Click here to see their STEM BEST projects! 

NW STEM at Peterson Public Libary 

NW STEM put on a Halloween themed event for the Peterson Public Library After School Program.  Janet Leifeld (NW STEM Assistant), Tyler Hahn (NW STEM Board Member and Cherokee Public Library Director), and Mary Trent (NW STEM Regional Manager) work with students from grades PS-5 in STEM Challenges.  Students flew bats, made Creature Catchers, and created Halloween cards with paper circuits and made their monster's eyes light up!  It was a fun afternoon! 

Computer Science is Elementary Mentorship Project

A new project has been launched, Computer Science is Elementary Mentorship Project. The Computer Science is Elementary (CS is E) Project Schools Mentors will provide guidance and support to other elementary schools across the state that are creating and implementing their Computer Science plans for their district in line with the Department of Education legislative requirements. We hope this mentorship help schools to will meet the Iowa Department of Education legislative requirements with high engagement and fidelity. NW STEM Regional Manager, Mary Trent and NW AEA Consultant, Erin Chute will manage the mentors.

We are actively seeking members who represent:

• Regional Workforce Development
• Local Government
• Economic Development/Chamber of Commerce