The Donald McKinney

Center for STEM Education

GOT STEM?

Monthly Newsletter - April 2024

News from the McKinney Center
Events, Workshops & Webinars
Opportunities for Students & Families
Classroom & Out-of-School Time Resources
Grants, Funding & Scholarships
Career Opportunities
Articles and Publications

NEWS FROM THE MCKINNEY CENTER

Solar Eclipse - April 8, 2024

Eclipses are wonderous events and ones we don't usually get to see in all of Pennsylvania; the last one was in 1806! The western part of the state will get to see the total eclipse of the sun on Monday, April 8th; here in Philadelphia we will see a partial totality. The sequence of events should start at 2:00pm and end around 4:30pm EST.

Eclipses provide a great opportunity to study the Sun and Earth from land, air, and space. The Pennsylvania Department of Education developed a great K-12 guide which includes eye safety, timeline, and a great Educator Resources and Activities section, which can be found at their 2024 Solar Eclipse page. Take advantage of this spectacular event that we won't be able to see in PA again in decades!

It is important to note that you should never look directly

at the sun without protective eyewear.

PEF is Hiring!

The Philadelphia Education Fund is accepting applications for a newly posted position of Director of Development. If you are passionate about supporting the mission and deepening the work of our non-profit, which creates and strengthens pathways to college and career success for Philadelphia students, we encourage you to apply!

Learn more about this career opportunity HERE.

Remake Learning Days workshop at PEF

Unlock a world of educational possibilities for your child with our empowering workshop, Exploring Non-Traditional Learning Opportunities, guiding families through the discovery of mini-grants, fellowships, and apprenticeships to enrich learning experiences beyond traditional classrooms.

Join our own Lisa Quattlebaum, Project Manager, Regional Industries and STEM Education (RISE) on this Remake Learning Days Activity. This free, in-person activity will be on Thursday, May 9th from 4:00-6:30pm at PEF.

To register for the workshop, please contact Lisa Quattlebaum.

To view over 90 other RMLD events happening in our Southeaster PA region between May 2-22, go HERE.

Resources + Opportunities

If you are looking for a variety of STEM opportunities and resources in the Greater Philadelphia area related to STEM employment, apprenticeships and others, go to PSEC's Opportunities + Resources page. You will be able to search for all things STEM related: employment, workforce development, internships & apprenticeships, scholarships, grants and other resources.

We thrive to maintain an accurate and active list, be we need your help! If you would like to add an opportunity, go directly to the page and fill out the opportunity description. For more information, please contact Betsy Payne, Manager of the Philadelphia STEM Ecosystem.

Computer Science Teacher Awards 2024

The Computer Science Workgroup in conjunction with CS4Philly and Jumpstart Philly CS4All are announcing that the submission for the CS Teacher Awards for 2024 are open. Are you a teacher who is successfully engaging Philadelphia students in computer science-- or do you know someone who is? We invite you to submit a nomination for the annual CS4Philly 2024 Computer Science Teacher Awards! The deadline for submission is Friday, April 19.

Eligible teachers include those who teach computer science at the elementary and/or secondary level in a public, charter, or private school in the city of Philadelphia -- AND/OR -- who teach computer science in an out-of-school time program at a school or other learning environment (library, recreation center, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, place of worship, community-based organization, etc.). CS Teacher Certification is not required!

Submit a nomination for yourself, a teacher you supervise, or a colleague! To learn more and to access the nomination form, go to:

https://tinyurl.com/CSTeacherAwards2024

The Philadelphia STEM Ecosystem welcomes new workgroup Co-chair.

The Ecosystem's Education for Sustainability (EfS) Workgroup, welcomes Hillary Kane, Director

of PHENND (Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development)

as the new Co-chair of the EfS Workgroup.

Along with Co-chair Victor Donnay, Professor of Mathematics at Bryn Mawr College, the EfS Workgroup, in collaboration with PHENND Sustainability, strives to generate and strengthen regional partnerships among K-12 schools, community organizations and higher education institutions that integrate learning, teaching, and research with advance sustainability, climate resiliency, and environmental justice in the Greater Philadelphia area.

Expect an invitation to our next meeting soon. For more information, please contact Betsy Payne, Manager of the Philadelphia STEM Ecosystem.

Visit the McKinney Center for STEM Education Page

EVENTS, WORKSHOPS & WEBINAR

Exploring Education for Sustainability Standards (EfS) Workshop - this FREE workshop for teachers explore the EfS Standards as defined by the Cloud Institute for Sustainability. Come out and hear our distinguished Keynote Speaker, Jerome Shabazz, Executive Director of the Overbrook Environmental Education and Arts Center and attend workshops presented by faculty from West Chester, Bryn Mawr, Saint Joseph's and La Salle as well as Philadelphia School District Teachers! Saturday, April 13, 8:30am to 12:00pm
National STEM Festival - The U.S. Department of Education, in partnership with EXPLR, will co-present the first-ever National STEM Festival to recognize outstanding student science and engineering solutions to pressing global issues. April 11-13, 2024 at The Square, Washington, DC.
Teach Plus Pennsylvania is currently accepting applications for the 2024-25 facilitator cohort of the Philadelphia Affinity Group Network. The Network is a collection of 21 affinity spaces designed by teachers of color for teachers of color around the city. This is a paid leadership opportunity for equity-minded teachers of color in the School District of Philadelphia and Philly charter schools. The deadline for applying is April 12th at 11:59 pm.
Research Experience for Teachers (RET) - Hosted by the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture Center (IoT4Ag), this 8-week paid opportunity is for Philadelphia-based K-12 STEM teachers. Application deadline: Friday, April 19, 2024 at 5:00 pm ET.
STEM Leadership Alliance Summit - Come join us at the STEM Leadership Alliance Summit for an exclusive event centered around innovation in STEM. This summit will delve into the future of AI in the classroom, with a particular spotlight on Career and Technical Education (CTE) from a diversity and inclusion perspective. July 21-25, 2024 at Space Center Houston, TX.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS & FAMILIES

Why College? Choosing a College & Preparing for College Visits - Are you the parent or caregiver of a student interested in studying engineering? Equipando Padres Academy invite you to a FREE half-day, virtual event on April 13th from 12:00pm - 3:30pm ET where engineering students and professionals will be sharing the value of college, how to choose a college and how to prepare for college visits. This event will be hosted in English and Spanish. Register HERE.
Exelon Foundation STEM Academy - Philadelphia - is a free, week-long in-person event. Learn from women working in STEM and business leaders. Visit energy facilities. Explore sustainability, energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate change. Applications due April 11, 2024
I AM PHILLY Contest - Do you know a Philadelphia high school student passionate about music, visual art, spoken word, or investment? Spread the word about the I AM PHL contest, presented by The Philadelphia Education Fund's PhillyGoes2College, in partnership with the Wawa Welcome America Festival and Vanguard. Submissions are now open until April 19th, 2024.
Friends in the Forest: An After School Nature Club - Riverbend Environmental Education Center's spring session for hands-on exploration for kindergarten through 3rd graders. The Spring 2024 session is Tuesday afternoons from, April 2nd through May 21st.
Widener Engineering Summer Camps for HS Students - Learn about engineering in a fun, hands-on camp offered by Widener professors! Resident Camp is Back! Stay over in the dorms and gain the full college experience! Registration is required and closes on June 5th.

CLASSROOM & OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME RESOURCES

New Resources:

SciGirls Strategies: How to Engage Girls in STEM - SciGirls empowers you to create a more gender-equitable and culturally responsive learning environment that inspires, engages and helps girls thrive in STEM.
Techbridge Girls - We’re excited to share our offerings for Techbridge Girls which offer a broad-based STEM curriculum, are steeped in equity and social justice frameworks, and include training and pre-assembled kits. We are excited for you to join our Information Session scheduled Thursday, April 11th, 2024 10am PST/1pm EST. Register for the information session HERE.

Previous Resources:

Virtual NanoSIMST 2024, Summer Institute for Middle School Teachers - Excite and engage your students with the power and wonder of nanotechnology! Selected teachers will learn about the physical concepts underlying nanotechnology and nanoscience in simple terms. This unique learning experience can enrich your current courses through both deepening content understanding and instructional practices, alongside learning about high need career pathways. Applications due on April 26, 2024
Meet EPA Scientist Studying our Earth - US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) profiles a sample of their workforce in everything from Air Researchers to Homeland Security Researchers to Social Science Researchers.

GRANTS, FUNDING & SCHOLARSHIPS

2024 Phillip B. Lindy Award for Excellence in K-16 Partnerships - this award aims to recognize a collaborative partnership between at least one K-12 school and one university. It will be given to the entire partnership, not an individual. Applications due by Friday, April 26, 2024, 5:00pm
STEM Scholarship - WICT Network: Greater Philadelphia -WICT is awarding three scholarships to support and uplift young women pursuing careers in STEM. Each scholarship recipient will be awarded $4000 to be used towards their STEM education. Eligible applicants are High School seniors or undergraduate students enrolled in an accredited institution, pursuing a degree in a STEM field. Application Submission Deadline is April 5, 2024.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) - Commonwealth of PA - At DCNR there are temporary seasonal, permanent seasonal, and year-round positions open. Positions vary and can be found throughout the state of Pennsylvania; there are currently over 70 positions open!
Tutor with Ignite - Teach for America - Ignite student learning with our virtual, paid, part-time tutoring and mentorship fellowship. Ignite Fellows lead small group virtual learning with the support of a veteran educator. Apply by April 24 for our fall 2024 cohort.
FAO Schwarz Fellow - National Audubon Society, Philadelphia - The FAO Schwarz Fellow will deliver science curriculum to 1st-5th grade students through in-class lessons at partner schools. The Fellow will also be responsible for implementing a strategy for Audubon Mid-Atlantic to build and strengthen our North Philadelphia audience and create deeper community connections.
Senior Coordinator, Public Programs - National Audubon Society, Philadelphia - The Senior Coordinator will play a lead role in the development and execution of public environmental action programs at the Discovery Center. The Senior Coordinator will also be responsible for leading a paid high school internship program. Audubon co-manages this program with the Philadelphia Outward Bound School.
STEM/STEAM Teacher - One Year Position for Fall 2024, Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy, Bryn Mawr - seeks an experienced, dynamic and caring educator to serve as a full-time instructor for our STEAM Institute and electives. The ideal candidate will be familiar with STEM/STEAM education and interested in facilitating project-based learning in middle and upper school curriculum.

ARTICLES & PUBLICATIONS