2024 STEM Summit - Iowa Classrooms + Workplace

NW STEM stars were shining brightly at this year's STEM Summit! It was a great day to showcase all the great programs and happenings in our great region! Our students really brought their "A Game" and impressed the audience members with their professionalism and speaking skills as they spoke about their STEM BEST program experiences! I was so proud of them and their teachers!

Congratulations also to Stephanie Prussing, 2024 STEM Teacher of the Year from the NW Region1 What a great example of a dedicated educator that strives to bring computer science to our youth at Denison Elementary! She is innovative, connects to the curriculum, and is always willing to share her ideas and lessons.

We are so fortunate to have the STEM Council's CoChair, Diane Young, from our region also. She is the Director of Technical Services, Foundation Analytical Laboratory, Cherokee, IA. She is a wonderful example of a business leader who cares about our rural communities and their youth and providing them with the resources they need to build our future workforce.

Our Thanks & Best Wishes to NW STEM Assistant, Janet Leifeld

Janet Leifeld has been the NW STEM assistant for 7 years with a break for about a year and a half. Janet's work behind the scenes has been so important to keep the functions and day-to-day functioning of NW STEM happening with efficiency. You have been an amazing STEM advocate for the NW region and will be so missed by many! Your grace and passion for STEM is beyond measure! She has been a complete joy to work with and I wish her all the best in her retirement!

NW STEM Assistant Position Available

General Job Summary:

This is a grant-funded, part-time position, 20-27 1/2 hours per week (with flexibility in the summer), located on the Estherville campus. Primary responsibilities are to assist the Northwest Regional STEM Manager and STEM Programming. Employment is contingent on continued and sufficient funding. Some evening and weekend duties required; moderate regional and state travel required. Accepting applications until May 30, 2024.

Link to Job Description

NW STEM Hosts Iowa's First Ever

eSports Festival

NW STEM hosted Iowa's first ever eSports Festival at WITCC in Sioux City on April 26. Over 80 high school students from 15 different high schools were in attendance for this event. Students had the opportunity to explore career pathways, visit with NW college and universities, participate in competitive gaming, and seek out a future beyond just the games at this festival. Resources were available for the coaches, teachers, and parents that were in attendance also if they wish to start an eSports team at their school. WITCC showcased their eSports team in a panel discussion and their arena. Students were impressed with their set up and were excited to see a future niche for themselves as well as career pathways.

NW STEM Advisory Board

Positions Open

Come and join our team! We are looking for passionate individuals in the Northwest region to join our NW STEM Advisory Board to help shape increasing awareness and achievement in our region. If you are interested, please fill out an application here.

This is a three year term. We hold 7-9 in-person meetings with virtual options throughout the year. We love to have our board members volunteer at festivals and events as well.

Open Positions:

• Community College
• Local Government or Business/Industry
• Local Government (e.g. elected official)
• Economic Development/Chamber of Commerce

Awards Were Sent Out on April 8, 2024

Awardees, Your providers will be contacting you in the upcoming weeks and months with details on your trainings this summer. Remember, all educators must attend trainings in order to accept the award materials. Congratualtions to all awardees and I look forward to seeing you all at the trainings this summer!

Teacher Externship Positions Needed in NW Iowa

Externship Program Manager, Ann Gritzner, has many of the Summer 2024 positions filled, but there are a few great spots left! While the location is within the NW Region, any Iowa educator in any of the six regions is invited to apply and drive to the host city.

Below, you'll see the host, city, and type of teacher that might best fit.

• Carroll Conservation, Carroll: Chemistry, Industrial Tech, Mathematics, Physics
• Moveero, Armstrong: Business, Engineering, Industrial Technology, Mathematics
• Rosenboom, Spirit Lake: Business, Engineering, Industrial Technology
• Thompson Solutions Group, Sioux City: Computer Science, Engineering, Industrial Technology, Mathematics, Physics

If you're interested in a position, but not the perfect content fit, please reach out to Gritzner (gritzner@iowastem.org) to see if your skills and/or curriculum trajectory match.

Iowa Lakes Summer STEM Fest

NW STEM will be hosting a Summer STEM Fest in partnership with Iowa State Extension Office at Iowa Lakes Community College at the Estherville Campus on June 20, 2024 from 9:00-3:00 for students in grades 4-10. Students will get a glimpse of the types of courses Iowa Lakes has to offer at their level. We will have hands-on STEM challenges and activities to entice future Lakers! Registration closes May 31, 2024.