SNOHOMISH STEM UPDATES

STEM Rising Star

Do you know a high schooler who inspires others through their #STEM work in/out of the classroom? Nominate a young woman today for #SnohomishCounty! Award recipients receive $500 stipend & trip to Microsoft with other awardees! https://bit.ly/SnoSTEMRisingStar   

Educators: Register Now for the High School and Beyond Plan Convening!

You are invited to join us for our next HSBP Community of Practice Sessions. This professional community of practice offers a valuable opportunity for educators to delve deeper into specific subjects relating to college and career readiness as well as the High School and Beyond Plan.     

Date: May 23, 2024 

Mode: In person 

Time: 9am-3:30pm (lunch included!) 

Location: NWESD 189, 1601 R Avenue, Anacortes, WA 98221 

Register: High School & Beyond Plan Community of Practice In-Person Convening (pdenroller.org) 

Apply Now for STEM Signing Day

Do you know a high school senior who’s planning on pursuing STEM at a college or a university? All high school seniors interested in STEM and planning on pursuing a career in STEM are encouraged to apply to STEM Signing Day! Just like signing day for athletes, STEM Signing Day honorees sign a letter of intent to pursue their STEM goals. A ceremony celebrating honorees will take place this spring. The deadline to apply is April 28! Apply here https://bit.ly/SSD-2024 

Funding Available for Building Recognized Youth & Apprenticeship Program

Funding Available for Building Recognized Youth & Apprenticeship Program

The Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD), on behalf of Career Connect Washington (CCW), is conducting a Request for Proposals (RFP) for CCW Apprenticeship Building America Program Builder Funding. Seeking proposals from highly qualified entities capable of creating, expanding, or enhancing Registered Apprenticeship and Recognized Pre-apprenticeship programs in Washington’s high-demand and high-growth industry sectors. Bidders’ Conference slides linked here.

Notice of Intent to Bid is due April 30, 2024, at 5:00 PM Pacific Time. A Notice of Intent to Bid is required. This is mandatory and due before the proposal deadline. Bids are Due: June 28, 2024, at 5:00 PM Pacific Time ESD has made approximately $2,965,421.90 of federal Apprenticeship Building America funds available for this opportunity. ESD targets $100,000 – $150,000 per award. ESD expects performance periods Q3 2024 and end in Q2 2026.

Over 700 Attendees at Spring into STEM Multigenerational Event

What an incredible turnout! Over 700 eager learners dove into the world of STEM at the Spring into STEM Community Access Night. From exploring watershed models to experimenting with nautical engineering, families had a blast igniting their passion for science and technology. This marks the 8th year of this fantastic event, a collaborative effort between Imagine Children's Museum and Snohomish STEM, alongside returning partners like Everett Community College, Snohomish County Public Works, Sno-Isle Libraries, YMCA of Snohomish County, Snohomish PUD, WSU 4-H, Snohomish Conservation District, and Zeno Math. Thanks to all involved for fostering early learning and multigenerational community engagement!

STEM Like Me!® Reaches 400+ Students

The need for career-connected learning is greater than ever. Snohomish STEM’s career-connected learning program, STEM Like Me®, continues to demonstrate remarkable success in engaging students, educators, and employer partners alike. From the 400+ students we have engaged with this school year, data shows that 75% of student participants report an increase in knowledge and awareness of STEM careers and pathways, and an impressive 43% increased their interest in pursuing a STEM career. We've witnessed a growing interest among our partners involved in our STEM Like Me® highlighting the continued need for career-connected learning opportunities. If you’re interested in learning more about your business investing in future workforce, reach out to Megan Benzing, MeganB@SnohomishSTEM.org.

ECHO Tour Impacts

In March 2024, the Career Connect Northwest team initiated the Exploring Careers & Healthcare Opportunities (ECHO) Tour at Everett Community College, adapting the model from the successful WAVE Tour to focus on healthcare careers. This inaugural three-day event drew 422 students from 23 schools across 12 districts. Designed to address the growing demand for healthcare professionals, the ECHO Tour provided students with valuable insights into the healthcare sector and potential career paths. The event concluded with a survey to collect feedback and gauge students' interest in pursuing healthcare careers, demonstrating its success and regional impact.

Employers Invited: Edmonds Job Fair

Edmonds School District is hosting a high school student employment fair on Friday May 3 from 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Edmonds Woodway High School (7600 212TH ST. SW, EDMONDS). Do you have openings in the following areas? 

• Summer/Temporary positions  
• Part time school year openings for high school students 
• Entry level positions for new high school graduates  
• Apprenticeship programs 

Employers are invited to host a FREE recruiting table at this event. Please help us connect our students to your employment opportunities! Click here for employer sign up.

INTERNSHIPS

Boost your Business with Summer Interns

Internship Connect is a program in the Edmonds School District designed to offer meaningful experiences for students to explore career pathways and strengthen career skills; while providing employers the opportunity to address workforce needs. We need YOUR help in hosting high school students in the Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Brier, Edmonds and South Everett area! 

More information on the Edmonds CTE Website. Program contact: Vanessa Edwards, edwardsv926@edmonds.wednet.edu 

FINANCIAL AID

Washington State Ranks 47th in the Nation

Financial aid is crucial for the success of Washington students pursuing postsecondary training, yet the state lags the rest of the U.S. in financial aid application completion rates. Washington State has one of the lowest financial aid completion rates in the nation, most recently coming in 47th in the nation which is a slight improvement from the previous year in 2022 when the state was 49th for high school students completing the FAFSA application, according to #FormYourFuture FAFSA Tracker by National College Attainment Network. 

This school year, high school seniors faced significant delays and glitches in the rollout of the new federal FAFSA application which compounded into processing delays and impacted the timing of student financial aid packages from colleges and other postsecondary training programs. A recent Seattle Times article notes the current school year tracking data shows about 22% of Washington State seniors completed their FAFSA, which contrasts with previous years at 43% and 47% for the class of 2022 and 2023, respectively. For financial aid resources, please visit the Washington Student Achievement Council page here.

New Financial Aid Resource Network of Snohomish County

To support counselors and educators who help students complete their financial aid applications, local organizations came together to launch a resource network. Financial Aid partner organizations, College Success Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County, Snohomish STEM, and Keep Dreams Alive launched a new resource network to support training, information sharing, and catalyzing best practices to support more students completing more financial aid applications. The Financial Aid Resource Network of Snohomish County (FARNS) has a mission to elevate awareness about financial aid opportunities and facilitate the completion of financial aid applications in Snohomish County. Together, this resource network provides comprehensive training to counselors and shares proven strategies to support more students in completing their FAFSA or WASFA. Recently, FARNS kicked off with a financial aid training for 30+ educators in Snohomish County who learned about the new changes this year.

$500 Mini-grants Available

Calling all practitioners! Apply now for a FAFSA/WASFA mini-grant and secure up to $500 to support students and families with their financial aid applications. Act fast – grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Funds can cover workshop costs, event hosting, marketing, translation services, and more. Don't miss out on this opportunity to make a difference! Application here.

Award Letter Training for Snohomish County Practitioners

Practitioners, join us for an in-person training to cover financial aid award letter updates on Friday, May 10th, from 11AM-12:45PM at the Everett Boys & Girls Club. Gain invaluable insights into deciphering and evaluating financial aid offers to empower seniors in making informed decisions. This session is tailored for Snohomish County high school counselors, college/career specialists, staff, and community-based organizations involved in FAFSA/WASFA completion. Free lunch is provided! RSVP here. 

EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE

Childcare Assistance for Employment Seekers

In partnership with Opportunity Council, Snohomish County provides temporary child care tuition assistance to eligible families looking for work, participating in employment-related activities, or at risk of losing child care placement due to nonpayment. More info: https://www.ccanorthwest.org/child-care-choice-snohomish-county/

GRANT FUNDING

This program is proudly supported, in whole or in part, by:

• Washington STEM
• Career Connect Washington
• The Boeing Global Engagement Grant
• Federal award number SLFRP0194 awarded to Snohomish County by the US Department of Treasury

The Snohomish STEM Network is one of 11 STEM Networks working collectively with Washington STEM to create solutions and partnerships that bring STEM education to Washington students, especially those historically underrepresented in STEM fields like students of color, girls and young women, students living in poverty, and students living in rural areas.