Winter landscape panorama - forest and snow
February, 2022
North Central STEM Region
Monthly News

In this Issue
Congratulations to Iowa STEM Teacher of the Year Register for Discovering Careers in STEM Webinar
STEM Scale-Up Application Closes Feb. 28
Register TODAY
Discovering Careers in STEM Webinar
February 22, 1-2 PM
In celebration of Engineering Week, a panel of STEM professionals will discuss their career journey and personal interest in STEM careers. We welcome classrooms to submit their questions for the panel! The primary audience includes high school and middle school students as well as teachers and counselors. The webinar will be recorded and available to view at any time.
STEM Scale-Up Application
Closes February 28
The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council is now accepting applications for the STEM Scale-Up Program. These programs are FREE for PreK-12 educators in formal and informal education settings. See program descriptions below! Link to full menu of programs click HERE. The application period for the STEM Scale-Up Program closes on February 28, 2022.


Congratulations to Jamie Pudenz
Iowa STEM Teacher of the Year
The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council and Kemin Industries have announced the recipients of the 2022 Iowa STEM Teacher Award, sponsored by Kemin Industries.
 
The North Central STEM Region’s honoree is Jamie Pudenz, agricultural science teacher at Aplington-Parkersburg High School in Parkersburg, Iowa. He was recognized for his ability to leverage partnerships to create hands-on learning opportunities for his students.
 
In 2020, Pudenz completed an Iowa STEM Teacher Externship with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) at the Big Marsh Wildlife Management Area. That experience inspired a new natural resources and environmental management course at Aplington-Parkersburg High School. Students work directly with the Iowa DNR to contribute to projects like population and disease tracking in local wildlife.
 
In 2021, Pudenz and his plant science students met with Dr. Michael Bechtel, an associate professor of science at Wartburg College, to explore aquaponics: an approach to food production where plants are cultivated in water rather than soil. The collaboration helped the class overcome challenges they were facing, allowing them to build their own aquaponic system in the course.
 
Pudenz challenges his students to think differently, focusing on the process of working toward an answer, rather than just the answer itself. In an engineering course, he challenges students to design and build a working backhoe with plastic syringes, tuning, wooden dowels and cardboard.
 
Now in its eighth year, the Iowa STEM Teacher Award is given annually to one full-time, licensed preK-12 teacher from each of the six STEM regions in Iowa. Each recipient is honored for their efforts to foster enthusiasm and inspire a passion for STEM that goes beyond the classroom and helps prepare students for future high-demand careers.
 
As a recipient of the 2022 Iowa STEM Teacher Award, Pudenz will receive $1,500 to use for his classroom and $1,500 for personal use. He recently received his award at a celebration at his school and will later be honored, along with his fellow recipients, in a recognition ceremony during STEM Day at the Fair at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday, August 21, 2022. For more information about the award and all current and previous recipients, please visit https://iowastem.org/teacheraward.
Calendar of Events

February 22
Discovering Careers in STEM Webinar

February 28
STEM Scale-Up Applications Close

March 29
NC STEM Advisory Board Meeting

Contact Us
E-mail:
info@IowaSTEM.org
Website:
ncstemhub.iastate.edu
Address:
Iowa State University
1259 Stange Rd
Ames, IA 50011-1002