‌ ‌	MAY UPDATE The InterMountain Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Launch Pilot (IM STEM)

Join us for the next IM STEM Network Meeting Thursday, May 21, 2020 2pm MT REGISTER TODAY

LET’s TALK: A Path to Educational Equity - IM STEM Continues the Conversation Panelists will discuss the inequities highlighted and magnified by COVID-19 and their vision for creating a new system in response to the global crisis. They will explore why authentic engagement with students, families, and communities remains of utmost importance and how they are supporting educators throughout these transitions.

We want to highlight your program

Learning about programs and initiatives around the network is a key benefit to being part of the IM STEM community. If you would like to have your program highlighted in a future IM STEM newsletter or potentially showcased at a network meeting, please click here to enter your information.

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What's going on In the network?

Communications and Resource Sharing

The Communication and Resource Sharing group asks that you get the most out of network membership by engaging in conversation with each other on our social media channels, including our LinkedIn group (IM STEM Network) and Twitter (@imstemequity). We have also created a form on the IMSTEM website where you can enter information about your program, so we can share it across the network in future IM STEM newsletters. Click here to enter a program. Please also continue to invite your professional colleagues to take advantage of the network by signing up today at our website: https://www.napequity.org/stem/stem-equity-project/imstem/ .

Data and Metrics

Perkins V requires data to be disaggregated by gender, race/ethnicity and each of the 9 special population groups. NAPE has created national secondary and postsecondary CTE concentrator data dashboards available at https://www.napequity.org/public-policy/frontline-legislation/strengthening-career-and-technical-education-for-the-21st-century-act/

Asset Map Building

Our asset mapping team is currently working with Nevada to develop an asset map that shows where STEM programming exists. Some states already have maps, including Idaho , Wyoming , and New Mexico . You can view them by clicking on the state name.    Any other questions about the IMSTEM Asset map initiative, please contact Kathleen Fitzpatrick kfitzpatrick@napequity.org .

Effective Practice Scaling

The Effective Practices Workgroup has developed a Rubric for Evaluating Programs to Broaden Participation in STEM. Click here to access it .

Pilot Monitoring

This workgroup continues to monitor NAPE’s professional development efforts in the six states, even as we move toward the need for more virtual training. For more information about NAPE’s PD contact Kathleen Fitzpatrick at kfitzpatrick@napequity.org .

What's going on Around the network?

Colorado  The Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) is sponsoring a series of professional learning activities titled Disrupted Learning Flex Sessions and Communities of Practice. Participation is open to all and free of charge. While the pandemic crisis has prompted major shifts in traditional education systems, it is now clear that this disruption will continue in ways that can barely be predicted. Thanks to many parents, students and educators there is still so much learning happening in homes and virtual spaces right now - it’s just disrupted. The CEI team has developed flex sessions that are available for viewing 24/7, and correlating community of practice webinars will launch in early May at no cost. Check out this one - Equity in the Time of COVID  Facilitators: CEI Vice President of Community Partnership Landon Mascareñaz Greeley-Evans School District 6 Director of Cultural Excellence Jesse Tijerina Join the CEI equity community of practice to discuss ways the COVID-19 response ensures that students furthest from opportunity do not fall behind during this crisis. Watch Video Community of Practice Sessions: May 15 from 9-10 a.m. MDT |  Register Here May 28 from 1-2 p.m. MDT |   Register here

Idaho  Idaho has developed some great online resources focused on exploring natural resources - The University of Idaho’s College of Natural Resources McCall Outdoor Science School (MOSS) has relaunched its MOSS Adventure Learning webpage . Online resources that encourage the greater community to get out and explore the world right outside their front door. Place-based outdoor science education at its very core. Idaho State University’s biology professor Devaleena Pradhan is sponsoring “ Fish From Head to Fin ”, a series of free virtual workshops for all age groups K-12. This workshop will feature the life cycle of trout, anatomy (parts of the fish), and include a comparison between fish and humans. Students will dive deep into the "insides" of fish by watching live fish dissections. Register students here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf9cqpX9yWEbE41I8fMDq_zWWC2z-WrPYnA62ADJBFFKKbhuQ/viewform

Nevada Nevada State GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a federally funded program that is designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. Students are identified as GEAR UP during their 7th grade year and exposed to GEAR UP activities that continue through high school and their first year of college at a Nevada System of Higher Education institution. Check out the great STEM Resources for GEAR UP School Leaders .

New Mexico STEM Santa Fe - STEM Activity of the Day Covid-19 is keeping us home but not keeping us from learning. Since March 16, 2020, STEM Santa Fe has been highlighting a STEM Activity of the Day. The activities are tailored mainly for students in grades 6-8 but everyone is welcome to try them. Family members are encouraged to work on the activities and explore and learn together. Stay tuned Monday through Friday for a new STEM activity of the day! Questions: email info@stemsantafe.org http://stemsantafe.org/programs/stem-activity-of-the-day/

Utah  Utah STEM Action Center - STEM in the Home During this time of online education due to COVID-19, the Utah STEM Action Center is posting online resources for fun, challenging STEM activities that children can do in their home with friends and family. Every week the Center hand-selects the top 8 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math resources they can find — and they are even throwing in some art resources to help children get in touch with their creative side! Come back every Monday for fresh new activities, videos, challenges and games. The website also contains a wealth of additional links to resources that assist with STEM learning in the home. https://stem.utah.gov/students/stem-in-the-home/ SheTech Holds Virtual Conference for Girls Interested in STEM Each year the Women Tech Council brings thousands of girls together to be inspired by STEM opportunities and women leading in the tech industry, and they’re not letting coronavirus stop them from holding their 2020 event. Recently, SheTech Explorer Day was held virtually, and while it looks drastically different, the mission is still the same. Click on the following link to view the SheTech Virtual Summit. http://shetechexplorer.com

Wyoming  Gen Cyber Wyoming is sponsoring the 3rd Annual GenCyber Professional Development: Cyberstar Champions 2020 Virtual Edition. COWPOKES-CS is open to any middle or high school educator, with preference given to those looking to integrate to those looking to integrate CS and/or cybersecurity within their existing curriculum. This professional development experience is free! In fact, educators receive a competitive weekly stipend for participation. Additionally, participants will be provided with some electronics and will develop two lessons as well as 46 lessons from 23 other Wyoming teachers! Apply TODAY!

STEM Equity News, Events, & Resources

STEM Education Coalition The STEM Education Coalition has compiled a list of online resources that teachers can use to improve remote learning during this COVID-19 pandemic. There is something for everyone - covering elementary, middle school, high school and college education, as well as parent tips for students learning at home, tools for teachers and supporting the educator preparation community during this unusual time. http://www.stemedcoalition.org/2020/03/20/elementor-5437/ Young Men and Boys of Color Can Now Receive Free Remote STEM Content and Literacy Support The Sims-Fayola Foundation recently announced that they are partnering with FYR is LIT (Fueling Youth Reading is Leaders in Training) to provide online tutoring services for young men anywhere in the country whose literacy development has been impacted by school closures or e-learning due to COVID-19. The Sims-Fayola Foundation is a Denver-based nonprofit with a mission to improve the life outcomes of young men and boys of color and to increase the capacity of those who work with them. Through this online offering, young men will be encouraged to continue their learning and be introduced to STEM. If you are interested in literacy tutoring for a young man you know, click on the following link to learn more and to submit an email request to the Sims-Fayola Foundation. https://www.blackenterprise.com/young-men-and-boys-of-color-can-now-receive-free-remote-stem-content-and-literacy-support/ Math Looks The Same In The Brains Of Boys And Girls, Study Fin ds A recent study out of Carnegie Mellon University showed evidence that girls start out with the same math abilities as boys. This finding challenges the idea that more boys than girls end up in STEM fields because they are inherently better at the sort of thinking those fields require. So why are fields like mathematics and computer science so dominated by men? Some suspect the answer involves the societal messages girls and young women get, and the difficulty of entering a field that includes very few women. But there may be a different explanation. This study, along with other research, makes a compelling case that factors other than biological differences explain why girls are less likely to pursue degrees and jobs in math and science. November. 8, 2019. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/11/08/777187543/math-looks-the-same-in-the-brains-of-boys-and-girls-study-finds

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IM STEM is a network of STEM educators and leaders across six states (CO, ID, NM, NV, UT, and WY) working to support STEM equity at key transition points (middle school to high school and high school to college).

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1744472. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.