Our vision: All Pennsylvanians will have access to quality STEM education and career pathways to become tomorrow’s leaders, influencers, and problem-solvers.
From The Directors Desk
What’s your STEM Story? As someone who’s been steeped in STEM in the last decade or so, I’ve come to appreciate a good story. Stories are what allow us to make genuine connections with others. They can take us to different times and places. Stories can share the world with us and help us learn from each other. Each of our roads to STEM in our own lives is unique.
Some are long and winding; others are straight and narrow and everything in between. I’ve been thinking of STEM stories a lot this month, and I have a simple challenge for you. Talk to someone who works in STEM in your community whose story you do not yet know. Ask them to share their STEM story with you. Then, share yours with them. I think you may be amazed at what you discover.
Yours in STEM,
Alexandra Konsur-Grushinski
STEM Resources & Opportunities: For Youth
Nominations are Now Open for the Children’s Environmental Health Network’s Annual NOW Youth Leadership Awards!
Do you know an outstanding youth who has displayed exceptional leadership on behalf of children’s environmental health, equity, or climate justice? Nominate them for the Children’s Environmental Health Network’s 2024 NOW Youth Leadership Awards!
Nominees must be between the ages of 10 and 21 and demonstrate exceptional environmental health leadership—protecting human health. Winners will be honored at the annual Children’s Environmental Health Day awards on October 10, 2024, in Washington DC. This celebration honors outstanding youth for their leadership in children’s environmental health, equity, climate action, and justice. Nominations are due by February 29.
Deadline: February 29, 2024
Nomination link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NOWawards2024
The Organ & Tissue Donation Awareness (OTDA) Innovation Challenge
The Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is announcing an Innovations Challenge, a statewide competition that challenges students in grades 9-12 to use their problem-solving, creative, and strategic-thinking abilities to solve real-world lifesaving challenges. Winners will be selected by members of the Organ Donation Advisory Committee (ODAC).
Challenge: Develop an innovative video that would encourage people to become organ and tissue donors.
Award: The statewide winning team will be awarded $3,000, as well as certificates and a permanent trophy engraved with the school’s name. The team will also be invited to attend the Annual OTDA Spring Conference in State College in May 2024.
Deadline: April 1, 2024
For more information: Check out the OTDA Challenge website.
STEM Resources & Opportunities: For Educators
Free Professional Development Events with transformED
TransformED at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU3) is excited to share the transformED Spring 2024 Calendar! Packed with 30+ FREE PD events, all educators are invited to learn the latest in innovative technologies and teaching practices. Be sure to not to miss events that span a range of interests, from drones, to maker education, to assistive technology. Register now!
CSATS Summer Research Experiences for STEM Teachers Program
During a 7-week full-time research experience, teachers will work with a faculty member on a research project and receive professional development virtually by the Penn State Center for Science and the Schools (CSATS) to help translate the experience to the classroom.
Teachers will conduct their research either in person or virtually. There are 3 programs to choose from: Synthetic Biology Research (BIORETs), Bioinformatics Research, and Computational Biology Research.
Dates: June 17 – August 2, 2024
For more information: Watch the video to learn more and register here.
The Penn State K-12 Engagement Network
The Penn State K-12 Engagement Network showcases over 200+ academic year and summer opportunities for educators and students, including STEM professional development programs and summer camps for youth! Check out all opportunities here to register today.
Drones: Calling Rural Middle School Educators!
“Take Flight” is a project to build awareness around STEM occupations for girls (and boys) in middle school science and CTE classrooms. CAST, a non-profit education research and practice organization and the originators of the Universal Design for Learning framework, is recruiting middle school educators to pilot the project. It offers a free drone curriculum, free drones that you can keep, a stipend for you, and straightforward and accessible free professional development on embedding the modules into your classroom. We are looking to recruit educators for the 2024-2025 school year in time for a May 2024 orientation. Funded by the National Science Foundation iTEST program.
For more information: Learn more and sign up here.
Supports Implementation of STEELS Standards with Engineering byDesign Initiative
PDE is providing exciting opportunities to support the implementation of the new STEELS Technology & Engineering Pennsylvania Standards. Please share!
- Access Free K-12 Engineering byDesign EbD curriculum: Includes a learning management system, real-time online access to all course updates, additional interactive media, and online pre and post-assessments. EbD is aligned with the ITEEA Standards for Technological and Engineering Literacy (STEL). The K-12 PA Technology and Engineering Standards are nearly identical to the STEL. (Click here to request access to EbD courses)
- Summer 2024 STEP w/EbD Workshops: Fully-funded, 4-day in-person training (elementary, middle, and high school-specific EbD courses) for 25 educators per level in the summer of 2024. Participants will receive a $816/person stipend to cover transportation, lodging, and meals (stipends will be paid by 9/1/2024). (32) Act 48 will be available as well as (3) graduate credits.
Questions? Email Brandt Hutzel, PDE Technology & Engineering Content Advisor
Grants and Funding
Accepting Proposals to Promote and Restore Water Quality and Habitats of the Chesapeake Bay
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership, is soliciting proposals through the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund to restore water quality and habitats of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams. All Small Watershed Grants (SWG) Program proposals must be submitted by April 3, 2024, with an optional applicant webinar at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, February 13th. Interested applicants can schedule individual proposal consultations with NFWF staff. Prior to contacting NFWF staff directly, prospective applicants are also encouraged to contact CBSF field liaisons. NFWF estimates awarding $25-30 million in grants through the INSR program in 2024.
Deadline: April 3, 2024
Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career Grant Program
The Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career Grant Program from the Department of Community and Economic Development is designed to help companies identify and train a skilled workforce for existing or near future open positions, engage youth or those with barriers in awareness-building activities of career opportunities in manufacturing, and/or advance capacity for local or regional manufacturers. Applications will be accepted and evaluated on an ongoing basis as long as funds remain available.
The grant funds may be used for professional services/consultants, internships, equipment purchases, shop modifications, program development, marketing, domestic travel, and salaries and fringes.
For more information: Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career Grant Program.
Events
Join Us for Remake Learning Days from May 2nd to 22nd!
Get ready for Remake Learning Days across Pennsylvania this May 2 – 22nd! The PA Department of Education joins us in expanding this successful, innovative learning festival statewide. The deadline for event submissions to be included in print media is February 23rd. Additionally, mini award requests are also due and funding is being given on a rolling basis! Please help us share this news with potential hosts and join us for the May festivities.
Deadline: February 23, 2024 (for event submissions included in print media) For more information: Check your region’s homepage on our website.
Save the Date for Pennsylvania Educator Diversity Consortium (PEDC) 5th Annual Educator Diversity Summit
Summit Dates: June 25-27, 2024
Summit Theme: “Reversing the Trends: Redefining the Narrative for Educators of Color”
Exciting news! Pre-registration for the upcoming 5th Annual Virtual Educator Diversity Summit is now open, and we want you to be among the first to secure your spot for this FREE event. By completing the form here, you’ll gain exclusive access to the early-bird registration page which opens February 23 and closes February 29. Thank you for your early commitment to guarantee your involvement in this transformative experience full of thought-provoking discussions and interactive sessions.
Deadline for early bird registration: February 29, 2024
Resources
The U.S. Department of Education Releases the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan (NETP): “A Call to Action for Closing the Digital Access, Design and Use Divides”
The Department of Education’s 2024 NETP frames three key divides limiting the transformational potential of educational technology to support teaching and learning, including: the Digital Use Divide addressing opportunities to improve how students use technology; the Digital Design Divide addressing opportunities for educators to expand their professional learning; and the Digital Access Divide addressing opportunities for students and educators to gain equitable access to educational technology.
Download and read the full report at the Office of Educational Technology’s website.
Calls to Action
PDE Conducting Virtual Focus Groups on PAsmart Grants and Impact on Computer Science Education
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is partnering with the American Institutes for Research to conduct virtual focus groups with school administrators from across Pennsylvania to study the impact of PAsmart grants on computer science (CS) education.
This is an opportunity for you to provide valuable input that will help shape the PAsmart program and the future of computer science education in PA. Focus groups will be approximately 45-60 minutes and will be conducted virtually using Zoom.
Administrators, educators, and students in schools or districts that received a PAsmart targeted or advancing grant from 2018-2022 may participate in the focus groups. Also, Professional learning providers involved in one or more advancing grants may also participate. As a participant in this focus group, individuals will receive a $40 gift card for their time.
Anyone interested in participating in a focus group should complete this Google Form survey. Questions may be directed to the AIR team at: PAsmartStudy@air.org.
