Iowa Classrooms+Workplaces Summit April 10, 2024 – Iowa Events Center

The 2024 statewide Iowa Classrooms+Workplaces Summit will be held on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at the Iowa Events Center, Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center, in Des Moines.

Presented by the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council at the Iowa Department of Education, the Summit brings together Iowans from business and industry, education, nonprofits, trade organizations, professional societies, governmental agencies, elected officials, students and others to amplify the public conversation and set the stage for inspiring networks, making connections and accessing what is possible to establish learning environments that link classroom learning to real-world career

opportunities.

Registration is required. To register and for more information, go to: https://iowastem.org/2024Summit. The deadline for registration is April 3. The Summit is open to the public and admission is free of charge thanks to generous sponsors. The day of the event check in starts at 8:30 a.m. with the event running from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The morning will include a presentation by Code.org Chief Academic Officer Pat Yongpradit on the “Future of Innovation and STEM: CS and AI Education as a Foundation,” as well as a presentation by ExcelinEd Senior Policy Fellow Christy Hovanetz on credentials to careers.

Participants will be in for an inspiring presentation by Kemin Industries over the lunchtime with remarks

on the importance of science education in our world today along with the recognition of the six STEM Teacher Awardees for 2024. The STEM Teacher Award has been sponsored by Kemin Industries since 2014.

The afternoon breakout sessions will provide an array of options for career-linked learning toward bright horizons and actionable outcomes. Be a part of the solution to accelerate Iowa’s growth and prosperity!

Non-Traditional STEM Careers

Virtual Festival

Register to participate in the NW STEM Nontraditional STEM Careers Virtual Festival! This is open during the month of March for students in grades 4-8. Preservice Teachers from Northwestern College helped to put together the lessons! The first 10 classrooms to sign up will receive a kit of supplies to go along with the STEM Challenges. Each Career contains a STEM Challenge and video of a person in STEM Career that is not a typical gender specific role. It's a great way to open students' eyes to the possibility to careers no matter their gender, but where their passions lead them!

Iowa STEM Communications Manager Position Opening

If you would be so kind, please encourage any communications professionals you know who want to make a widespread difference in the lives of children, their families and Iowa communities to apply for the Iowa STEM’s communication manager/information specialist position. The application deadline is March 10.

STEM BEST Program Awards Announced

The STEM Council Executive Committee reviewed and approved 21 new or expanded partnerships supported by guidance, collaboration and financial investment of up to $40,000 each.

The 2024 STEM BEST Program awardees are:

•          Center Point-Urbana School District

•          Central Lyon Community School District

•          Easton Valley Community School District

•          Edgewood-Colesburg Community School District

•          Gerald W. Kirn Middle School, Council Bluffs

•          Kingsley-Pierson Community School District

•          Lewis Central Community School District

•          Logan-Magnolia Community School District

•          Marion High School, Marion Community School District

•          Marion Intermediate School, Marion Community School Dist.

•          North Polk Community School District

•          North Scott Community School District

•          Odebolt Arthur Battle Creek Ida Grove Com. Sch. Dist.

•          Red Oak Community School District

•          Sioux City Community School District

•          Southeast Warren Community School District

•          Unity Christian High School

•          Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District

•          Western Christian High School

•          Winterset Community School District

•          Woodrow Wilson Jr. High, Council Bluffs

The STEM BEST Program brings schools and businesses together to introduce students to businesses and career opportunities in Iowa through authentic workplace experiences, while also gaining future-focused skills. STEM BEST Program applicants submit a comprehensive proposal that incorporates rigorous and relevant STEM curriculum, includes valuable partnerships with community businesses or organizations, aligns with STEM education goals, addresses sustainability of the model program and evaluates the program’s effectiveness.

Congratulations to All!

Denison Elementary Students Collect Trash With Finch & Bee Bot Robots

Katie Pick's third grade students modified their Finch and Bee Bot Robots to pick up trash in their classroom at Denison Elementary! Pick was awarded these robots from our Scale-Up awards in the past and wanted to share how she still uses them often. The students presented their modifications of their trash collectors as a "Shark Tank" format on February 2, 2024. Well Done Denison!

Awards will be Announced on

April 8, 2024

Thank to all those that applied for a STEM Scale-Up program. We will be working to evaluate the submitted applications and will announce award decisions on April 8, 2024. You will be notified via email.