During this past summer, STEM educators around Iowa have worked side-by-side with skilled industry employees who help bring the classroom curriculum to life. Iowa STEM Teacher Externships provide educators with the exposure to answer questions about real-world application, prepare students for careers they may have in the future and improve educational experiences.
The Southwest region's Externship Mentor is Nathan Van Zante. Nathan is a Lewis Central Middle School science teacher, Iowa STEM Teacher Award recipient, and STEM Externship veteran. Nathan helps to recruit businesses to host educators and to match educators with businesses. He also works with the teacher externs to support them in making classroom connections and making site visits to the workplace to learn more about the educators' experiences.
Nathan has helped to place two Southwest Iowa educators in host sites this past summer. Angie Hunter from Shenandoah Middle School has been working at Green Plains Ethanol in Shenandoah testing corn samples for micro-toxins. Randi Endriss from Treynor CSD has been working with Pottawattamie County Conservation and the Environmental Education Coordinator to plan summer programming for students.
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 Iowaβs Continuing Education program.
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