Afterschool STEM Hub

We are delighted to be joining Congressional office meetings today with the Hands on Science Partnership to advocate for hands-on, experiential science learning for all students both in and out of school. You can learn more about the Hands on Science Partnership at their website, below: https://lnkd.in/eV9h-DKT

We are looking forward to being a part of this! Thanks for welcoming us in. We hope to be able to facilitate finding another piece to the puzzle for expanding access. :)

Check out some neat, community-centered ways to celebrate #LightsOnAfterschool with a STEM theme! https://lnkd.in/ezi42APn

Happy Digital Inclusion Week, everyone! Did you know that afterschool programs are key pieces to the puzzle in facilitating digital equity and even bridging intergenerational digital divides? Check out the blog below to learn more! #DIW2024 https://lnkd.in/g2-UwP3W

The Girls' Index: Girls & STEM Impact Report is being released today on Ruling Our eXperiences, Inc. (ROX)'s website. The report can help us understand where girls need our support to pursue their STEM-related academic and career aspirations, which can be translated into supportive and empowering policies. Check it out at the link below! https://lnkd.in/eE8HQXmX

The?Students Working for Communities Act?was recently introduced in Congress. The Act fosters and expands?student opportunities to participate in community service under the Federal Work-Study Program, which is uniquely important for afterschool STEM programs. For instance, "College students often provide a variety of services, from bringing in exciting curricula such as science, media and the arts, and engineering to supporting literacy and math tutoring to contributing to research, program infrastructure, and sustainability." Learn more about this legislation and its impact for afterschool STEM in the following blog: https://lnkd.in/eyCYAtjE

Just in case you missed it - Representatives Joyce Beatty (OH-3) and Mike Carey (OH-15) introduced the National STEM Week Act this past September. The bill aims to promote STEM education and careers among all students regardless of their geographic or socio-economic status, support both formal and informal learning tools, and encourage families, educators, and industry leaders to participate in students’ STEM education. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/eV7AEWp7

Arizona area folks - check out this great opportunity to learn about your STEM Ecosystem, engage with inspirational people working to enhance K-12 STEM education, and receive a wide array of STEM education professional development, such as "Navigating Science and Political Rhetoric: Strategies for Educators to Foster Scientific Literacy and Critical Thinking in Students." The Arizona Science Center and SciTech Institute 2024 STEM & Innovation Summit is shaping up to be a really impactful event! Learn more and register at the link below: https://lnkd.in/gVwRTHNw

We were delighted to hear about the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES) partnering with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish a new?National Research and Development (R&D) Center?on?Improving Outcomes in Elementary Science Education. According to Dr. Moore of the NSF, “It will allow researchers, in collaboration with science educators and students, to develop innovative curricular, tools, and approaches that will improve science instruction while ensuring that students across the nation have access to high-quality, learning experiences." You can learn more about the collaboration at the following link: https://lnkd.in/evAd6EUV

We had a lovely time at the Association of Science and Technology Centers's annual conference this past weekend connecting with and learning from science centers and museums from across the country. It was so great to hear about all the work so many are doing to both scale and start youth-led programming and really augmenting the need for more youth voice and agency in authentic ways. There are so many creative ways informal STEM programs are engaging youth in STEM and we want to be able to share these stories with policymakers to increase supportive policies. If you have any stories to share, please feel free to email us at [email protected].