Northwest Iowa STEM Newsletter

March 2022

Mary Trent

NW Regional STEM Manager

Contact me at mtrent@iowalakes.edu

Northwest Regional Advisory Board Members

Tina Benton,

Sioux City

Ben Bouza,

Hawarden

Beth Bunkers, Primghar

Tyler Hahn,

Cherokee

Lex Jacobson,

Ida

Kiana Johnson, Primghar

Jordan Menning, Rock Rapids

Faith Miller,

Carroll

Andrew Roelfs,

Sioux Center

Mary Skopec,

Spirit Lake

Brenda Welch, Meriden

Mark Zabawa, Spencer

Check out NW STEM Web Site!

https://www.iowalakes.edu/stem/

Northwest STEM Calendar

Stay up-to-date on all Northwest STEM regional opportunities and even a few statewide. Use this calendar to share your STEM events with others.

NW STEM Lending Resources

Check out the STEM lending library for educators and place your order online.

Don't forget to connect with NW STEM on social media as well!

Check us out on Facebook:

@NWSTEM Region

https://www.facebook.com/NWStemRegion/

@NWIowaSTEM

Invite a friend or colleague to sign up for this newsletter:

http://goo.gl/oPZmPP

Iowa STEM Teacher Award

Susan Oehlertz,

Pocahontas Elementary

The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council and Kemin Industries have announced the recipients of the 2022 Iowa STEM Teacher Award, sponsored by Kemin Industries.

The Northwest STEM region’s honoree is Susan Oehlertz, K-12 Technology Integrationist and Computer Science Teacher at Pocahontas Area Community School (PAC) in Pocahontas, Iowa. She was recognized for her work promoting the importance of computer science for young learners, as well as the unique curriculum she creates to engage Pocahontas students in the subject.

In her nomination for the Iowa STEM Teacher Award submitted by a colleague, Oehlertz was described as a driving force behind PAC’s application for the Computer Science is Elementary project from the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. As a result of those efforts, PAC was awarded $50,000 to transform computer science education at Pocahontas Elementary School. The award has allowed the school to purchase and utilize computer science and robotics resources that give students hands-on experience.

Oehlertz teaches computer science to all grade levels, focusing on how her lessons connect to STEM careers. Additionally, she works closely with other PAC educators to integrate computer science with other subjects. Lessons have combined computer science and robotics with mathematics, natural science, engineering and language to engage students.

In addition to her classroom work, Oehlertz also advocated for a Makerspace room at the school, where she leads monthly STEM challenges.

Now in its eighth year, the award is given annually to one full-time, licensed preK-12 teacher from each of the six STEM regions in Iowa. Each recipient is honored for their efforts to foster enthusiasm and inspire a passion for STEM that goes beyond the classroom and helps prepare students for future high demand careers.

As a recipient of the 2022 Iowa STEM Teacher Award, Oehlertz will receive $1,500 to use for her classroom and $1,500 for personal use. She recently received her award and a small celebration at her school and will later be honored, along with her fellow recipients, in a recognition ceremony during STEM Day at the Fair at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday, August 21, 2022. For more information about the award and all current and previous recipients, please visit https://iowastem.org/teacheraward.

Congratulations to the

NW STEM BEST Awardees

Cherokee CSD Will launch the Cherokee Future Ready BEST Program in the next academic school year. With the goal for students to step out of the classroom and have a more in-depth, work-based learning experience that will build skills and awareness to help students to become Future Ready. We will focus on connecting students with local industry partners targeting the areas of health professions and advanced manufacturing.

Lawton-Bronson CSD The goal Lawton-Bronson would like to accomplish through the purchase and use of the zSpace is to increase interest in the healthcare field as well as prepare those interested for collegiate and workplace use of simulations.

Maple Valley- Anthon-Otto CSD Partner with Maple Heights Nursing Home in Mapleton, IA to provide opportunities for students to explore opportunities in Health Careers. The funds would be used to implement a Project Lead the Way Biomedical Sciences curriculum while also renovating my classroom to model a patient room.

Sheldon CSD Will work together to offer more strand-specific classes specifically in the areas of health care, manufacturing, and education. Through planning with Sanford, the students can continue with CAPS-specific training building career skills and connections between the Siouxland CAPS schools, and getting specific experiences in the health field.

The Sioux City CSD Will be enhancing and promoting the health science pathways tied to the business community, addressing real-life scenarios, and focused on integrating technology in course offerings through the use of an Anatomage Table.

Spencer CSD Blend pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeships with these work-based learning (WBL) programs with additional staff in order to expand ECEs to include IT, including apprentice-like occupations such as IT generalist, computer operator, and computer programmer, and start an EMT course at SHS.

Storm Lake CSD Create a Beacon of Success Pathway for students, allowing them to move between our traditional high school setting and our soon-to-be-created pathway model. Students will have access to work-based learning options, reflecting a more student-centered, 21st century teaching and learning approach.

West Lyon CSD Provide daylong field trips to tour as many businesses in the advanced manufacturing sector. Connect students with businesses to meet employers, have the students witness what is happening in those facilities and come back to our program and practice skills that relate to those careers.

STEM Offers Educator Scholarships

The Executive Committee of the Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council determined that two supports for STEM educators are needed in order to maintain the high quality and essential role of STEM education throughout the state:

Incentive for practicing STEM professionals to career transition to teaching.
Support for in-service STEM teachers to update their skills and knowledge in the fast-moving fields of STEM.

For STEM professionals seeking support to career-transition to teaching, access the RAPIL scholarship here:

STEM Pro -> STEM Teacher

For in-service STEM teachers seeking support to enroll in a course to update skills and knowledge, access the STEM-LIfT scholarship here:

STEM Teacher -> STEM "LIfT" Teacher

STEM BEST 2022

The STEM BEST Program provides up to $25,000 to Iowa public and

non-public school districts and buildings for models that demonstrate business-education partnerships and provide work-based learning experiences for students.

Nearly 700 partnerships have been created through this program. The first step is to identify key players and form a team to meet the needs of the local community.

A 1:1 match of cash and/or in-kind support is required and can be contributed by the applicant or a community partner.

For more information and to apply for this award, Please visit: www.IowaSTEM.org/STEMBEST

Iowa STEM Teacher Externships are full-time, six-week temporary summer positions in local businesses and agencies for secondary teachers of mathematics, science and/or technology. STEM Teachers earn a stipend of up to $5,000 (including two paid professional development days), as well as three graduate credits through the University of Northern Iowa’s Continuing Education program.

Click on the link below to apply for an Iowa STEM Teacher Externship: https://uni.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bDzSbk1YzBGaotM

Pre-service teachers are eligible to apply for the Iowa STEM Teacher Externship Program. To apply as a pre-service teacher, click on this link: https://uni.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dnDfNGaJcaQRrV4

Click on the link below to complete a Workplace Host Interest Form:

https://uni.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bkYq1t1Cqnq6J14

STEM Day at the Capitol

Another great STEM Day at the Capitol showcased many of our STEM partners, including Storm Lake Elementary pictured above. Storm Lake Elementary is one of 12 schools that received the Computer Science is Elementary award. Students showcased their knowledge of coding using Bee Bots in the STEM Scale -Up Program, Storytime STEM packs. Many thanks to all that participated!

Dordt STEM Fest

NW STEM in partnership with Iowa State Extension and Outreach hosted a STEM festival on February 12, 2022, at Dordt University. NW STEM offered a session on building Hexbug mazes. NW STEM also presented to parents "Parental Tips in STEM Education." Here is a link to the presentation for any interested parents who would like to create a home environment of discovery and wonder!

NW STEM Virtual Year Long Literature Festival & STEM Challenges

700 students are participating all ready! You can still register and participate in this year long festival! We have met our quota for kits that we can hand out, but you can still participate without the kits. You will have access to the recordings and activities that go along with it as well as a list of supplies you can collect. Most of the items are recyclables or household items. To register to receive access to the festival materials, click below.

Click Here to Register

NW STEM and the Governor's STEM Advisory Council have many FREE resources and amazing programs to offer our K-12 schools as well as our informal partners. Want to hear more about these? Sign up for an in person or virtual professional development session! Presentations can be flexible for the time allowed.

Let's get everyone on board with STEM in NW Iowa!

Click below to request a session.

Request a Session

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!

Email: mtrent@iowalakes.edu

NW STEM Checkout System is Now OPEN!

NW STEM Checkout system has many great STEM Scale-Up kits as well as other materials perfect for classrooms, homeschools, libraries, and after school groups! And the best part, everything is FREE!!

We utilize the AEA van system to make deliveries of all our kits. You can keep the kits as long as you need them and simply set them out for the AEA van to pick up. It's as simple as that!

You can find a complete list of our items and check out form here:

https://www.iowalakes.edu/stem/stem-resources/.