Hands-on Learning and STEAM are Two Peas in a Pod

May 2023 Newsletter

Two Mobile Makerspace participants in Alsea work together to build a circuit using a solar panel as the power source.

Growing Innovating, Learning, Prospering... Together!

View the Spanish translation of our newsletter here.

From the Director's Desk

Hello and welcome to May in our beautiful mid-valley-

This month, I’d like to focus this message on our educator externships. An externship is like an internship for educators. We currently have several different opportunities this summer for teachers, administrators, classified staff, counselors, and out-of-school educators to participate in a paid externship and learn more about how to connect your classrooms to the world of work in our region. Take a look at the flyer for more information and complete this application if you would like to participate. Hurry - space is limited and filling up quickly!

We have many more tools, programs, and resources to share with you, so please enjoy this month’s newsletter.

I hope you find something of interest and relevance to you,

your family, students, and work. Thanks for all you do out there!

Thanks and be well,

Sarah Whiteside, Director

Mid-Valley STEM-CTE Hub

Mobile Makerspace: An Intro to Oceanography and Solar Power

There has been so much rain in the forecast that we wanted to bring a little sunshine to the mid-valley by calling the sun with our solar bugs.

For April’s Mobile Makerspace activity we learned about a renewable energy source, solar power. Each participant was able to make a solar circuit that consisted of a vibrating motor, solar cell, and conductive tape. Students attached their solar circuits to paper bugs they cut out and decorated. As a group, we experimented with our bugs to see if we could get them to work with different types of light sources like uv flashlights and book lights.

That’s not all, we also learned about the incredible strength of ants. Did you know ants can carry 50 times their weight?

Students put their solar bugs to the test to see how many Cheerios and dried pinto beans their solar bugs could carry. One of our solar tarantulas carried 18 beans. There was a lady bug that was able to pull 16 Cheerios. There was even a vibrant butterfly that had carried 15 Cheerios and four beans. These solar bugs were really strong!

Join us for one of our Mobile Makerspace events in May.

This month our project is called “Exploring the Ocean”. Students will work on science experiments in teams to

learn about ocean currents and how water moves. We will also learn about how certain sea creatures migrate by using

the warming temperature of the water to follow their prey. While the students are learning, they will design their own ocean scene and the creatures that live in it.

5/5 - Scio Public Library 9:00am - 10:30am
5/11 - Monroe Community Library 3:30pm - 4:30pm
5/12 - Harrisburg City Library 10:30am - 12:00pm
5/26 - Brownsville Public Library 2:30pm - 4:00pm

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Check out this QR code for more activities like solar bugs and learn about renewable energy.

News From the Hub

MVSCH Partners with Code Fellows to Improve K-12 Computer Science Education

Code Fellows believes tech careers should be open to everyone. Their passion for education is only outshone by their commitment to providing access to it.

Learn more

Knife River: Providing Community Prosperity Through Job Security

Construction companies like Knife River offer entry-level positions with livable wages and room to grow into a high-paying career with great benefits like health insurance, a 401k, and paid time off. We rode along with Knife River to see what it's like to live a day as a skilled laborer in the concrete industry.

Watch the video here.

Career Mentoring Program for Latinx Middle School Youth in Linn County

The Hub is partnering with Casa Latinos Unidos to launch career-focused programming for Latinx 8th-grade students

at Calapooia Middle School during the 2023-24 school year.

Learn More

Join us for Women in Making Night!

This event is an opportunity for students to rub elbows with local women and gender-diverse people who are crafters, makers, builders, and designers in a variety of fields. Attendees will be able to learn about enriching activities and career options they may not have had an opportunity to explore previously. Some of the guest speakers include a graphic designer, a screen printer, a woodworker, a brewery team, and a stained glass artist!

This will be an event you won’t want to miss! There will be fun hands-on activities and even a chance to win an MVSCH t-shirt!

Partner Spotlight

Sama Shagaga, NW Natural Partnerships and Government Affairs, presents the 2023 Scholarship Awards to incoming LBCC CTE Signing Day Participants at the April 20, 2023 event on the Albany campus.

MVSCH extends a special thank you to NW Natural Gas for stepping up and hosting the 2023 CTE Signing Day Event

at Linn-Benton Community College.

NW Natural shows up for LB students and holds a special

space in our hearts as a partner and Albany campus neighbor. They demonstrate this support by:

Supporting the second year of the externship pilot

for educators

Providing scholarships for incoming LB Career Technical Education students
Creating industry connections and experiences for local youth

MVSCH is grateful for the partners helping us build a strong educational ecosystem

that supports our community's youth.

If you are interested in learning more about opportunities to support the Hub through partnership support, please contact the MVSCH Fund Development Manager, Janice Hardy.