STEM Best Awardees Announced!
The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council announced 4 North Central Iowa school districts will join or expand the STEM BEST® (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) + HD (High Demand) Program to provide students with real workplace experiences. The program helps introduce students to businesses and career opportunities in Iowa, while also gaining career-ready skills. Including the latest honorees, 155 partnerships have been created or expanded since the STEM BEST Program launched in 2014.
The STEM BEST + HD Program encourages teachers and industry professionals to work side-by-side to develop a work-based learning model that incorporates STEM subjects like mathematics and science with experiential learning opportunities to emphasize high-demand skills for the workplace. The Council’s investment of professional and financial support can be used for curriculum development and coordination, educator training and development in workplace-classroom integration and preparing work-based learning environments.
“The STEM Council is driven to connect schools and workplaces for the benefit of both youth and employers, and the STEM BEST + HD Program is a signature vehicle for that goal,” said Jeff Weld, executive director of the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. “This latest expansion approaches a tipping point where career-linked learning is becoming the norm rather than the exception in preparing students for future Iowa careers.”
The STEM Council Executive Committee reviewed and approved 37 new or expanded partnerships supported by guidance, collaboration and financial investment of up to $40,000 each.
The 2023 STEM BEST + HD Program awardees are:
· CAL Community School District
· Fort Dodge Community School District
· Ogden Community School District
· Osage Community School District
To be considered for a STEM BEST + HD Program award, applicants were required to submit a comprehensive proposal that incorporates rigorous and relevant STEM curriculum, includes valuable partnerships with community businesses or organizations, aligns with STEM goals, addresses sustainability of the model program and evaluates the program’s effectiveness.
