IN THIS ISSUE
A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the
FIRST
Robotics Competition
Communities Come Together for STEM Festivals
The State of STEM in Iowa
Three Awardees Receive Seal of Approval from the STEM Council
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UPCOMING EVENTS
April 3, 2018 - 8:00 a.m.
Governor's 2018 Future Ready Iowa Summit
April 7, 2018 - 10:00 a.m.
Spotlight on STEM
April 12, 2018 - 4:00 p.m.
NE Iowa Family STEM Festival - Calmar
April 17, 2018 - 5:00 p.m.
Southwest Valley Middle School STEM Festival
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A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the
FIRST
Robotics Competition
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The 2018 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) combines science, technology, engineering and mathematics with teamwork and friendly competition.
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The recently held 2018
FIRST
Robotics Competition (FRC) offered a glimpse into the future through the eyes of high school students. Referred to as “the ultimate sport for the mind,” FRC challenges high school students to build and program industrial-sized robots that then participate in field games against competitors. The competition fosters science, technology, engineering and mathematics experience and skill development through design and programming. Valuable soft-skills are also cultivated through problem-solving, leadership, fundraising and teamwork.
More than 60 teams participated in this year’s event held at the McLeod Center at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in Cedar Falls with teams from across the Midwest, as well as Turkey and Brazil. Teams of 10-40 students have just six weeks to learn the rules, design, build and test their robots.
“
FIRST
's vision of a world ‘
where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders’
is a natural match with the University of Northern Iowa's STEM initiatives,” said Marcy Seavey, FRC planning team member and UNI host for the event. “These students put in hundreds of hours working on their robots, on raising funds and developing problem solving and leadership skills - the types of skills that make for successful students and STEM professionals. UNI STEM is currently administering the Iowa FRC Scale-Up program to broaden participation throughout the state, and we support younger student's participation in STEM activities through hosting
FIRST
Lego League teams on campus, providing STEM camps and other outreach events aimed at providing local students with a broad set of experiences in STEM so that each student can discover their own passions and capabilities.”
The STEM Council has been involved with
FIRST
dating back to 2012 when the
FIRST
LEGO League was part of the STEM Scale-Up Program menu. Since then,
FIRST
Tech Challenge was a Scale-Up Program in 2012-13, 2014-15 and 2015-16. The
FIRST
Robotics Competition was included on the Scale-Up Program menu in 2016-17 and is currently on the 2017-18 STEM Scale-Up Program menu.
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Communities Come Together for STEM Festivals
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The recent STEM Family Festival in Woodbine featured engaging STEM activities for local families.
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STEM graduates are in great demand to meet Iowa’s current and future workforce needs. Continuing to increase STEM interest and achievement in Iowa is made possible through the support and engagement of local communities throughout the state. The Governor’s STEM Advisory Council works to connect students, parents, educators, businesses and community leaders to provide real-world applications of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
STEM festivals provide the opportunity for communities to come together to offer engaging, hands-on learning activities for local families. Dozens of festivals will be held throughout Iowa in 2018, led by the STEM Council’s
six regional STEM managers
. Last year, nearly 17,000 people were reached by STEM festivals in communities throughout Iowa.
Spring STEM festivals are already underway. An example is the STEM Family Festival held earlier this month in Woodbine, Iowa. The Woodbine Community School District has been an active participant in the STEM Scale-Up Program offered by the Iowa STEM Council since 2014. This partnership was the driving force to implement the STEM Family Festival in March 2018. Along with STEM Council partner Dupont Pioneer, materials were provided to showcase learning opportunities in many career areas.
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The State of STEM in Iowa
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In its fifth year, the 2017 ACT annual STEM report provides insights on student interest and achievement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
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The fifth ACT annual STEM report confirms there is still work to be done to increase awareness and interest in STEM in Iowa. Based on ACT® test findings:
- Twenty-two percent of 2017 Iowa high school graduates who took the ACT test met the college readiness benchmark for STEM.
- Forty-eight percent of Iowa students indicated an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
- Nineteen percent of students had an ACT Interest Inventory score that pointed towards a STEM field and also expressed interest in pursuing a STEM major or career.
- Seventy-three students planned to pursue a degree in mathematics education.
- Forty-two students planned to pursue a degree in science education.
The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council was highlighted in this latest report
STEM Education in the U.S.: Where We Are and What We Can Do
, along with Iowa BIG, a 2014
STEM BEST® Program
. One of the Promising Practices sections showcased the STEM Scale-Up Program as an effort that is having a positive effect on increasing student interest and awareness in STEM to improve STEM outcomes. Also featured was the “She Can” event sponsored by Iowa BIG. This event is geared towards sixth and seventh grade female students to encourage exploration of urgent issues and real-world solutions.
The report found that STEM jobs in the U.S. grew more than twice as fast as non-STEM occupations from May 2009-2015. There is great opportunity for STEM careers across the nation and right here in Iowa. For more information on how to get involved in Iowa STEM programs, visit
www.IowaSTEM.gov
.
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Three Awardees Receive Seal of Approval from the STEM Council
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The STEM Council launched the Seal of Approval in March 2015 to recognize programs and events taking place throughout the state that align with STEM Council goals and are unaffiliated with existing STEM Council programs. Seal of Approval awardees are able to use the Seal for promotion, funding and other types of support. Since its launch, 23 programs and events have been awarded the Seal of Approval.
Applications are accepted throughout the year and are reviewed by a committee. The review committee recommended the following programs and events for the Seal so far this fiscal year.
- Precision Ag and Animal Science Field Days at ISU Extension and Outreach (Northwest Iowa): The global purpose of the field days is to engage students in hands-on learning and to create awareness of endless career possibilities in Northwest Iowa. The goal is to connect youth with local business and industry leaders, thereby creating awareness of the ever-evolving agriculture industry and providing information and resources on how students can prepare for these careers.
- Girls Go STEM Community Education Program at The University of Iowa: Girls Go STEM community education program is a half-day educational experience hosted by The University of Iowa Health Care Marketing and Communications Collegiate and Community Relations. The target audience includes girls in grades 6-8 and their parents. Girls Go STEM provides young women the opportunity to discover and explore their interests in science, technology, engineering and mathematics as it relates to the sciences arena. Girls Go STEM provides parents the opportunity to gain knowledge and understand biomedical discoveries related to adolescent health and wellness, while also learning how to encourage and prepare their children for a future in STEM.
- World Food Prize Iowa Youth Institute: The Iowa Youth Institute encourages all Iowa high school students to pursue hunger-fighting career paths in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The institute focuses on inquiry-based learning and allows students to present their own evidence-based ideas to faculty and industry experts at their annual event on Iowa State University's campus. Students also participate in on-campus immersions that allow them to explore 21st-century careers including genetics, dietetics, agronomy, environmental science, nutrition and agricultural technology.
For more information about the STEM Council’s Seal of Approval and how to apply, please visit
www.IowaSTEM.gov/Seal
.
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Contact the Iowa STEM Operations Center by phone at (319) 273-2959
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