November 2018
 

Jeff Beneke
Northeast Regional
STEM Manager 
 

 
 
 


Upcoming Events 


Waterloo


November 13
Cedar Falls


November 27
Dubuque


January 21


March 4
Scale-up Application will close


April 6
Dubuque


April 11
Cresco



Have an event
coming up?


 
Northeast Region
of the Iowa 
 Governor's STEM Advisory Council


 Advisory Board


 Jane Bradley
 Hawkeye Community  College

Sue Burrack
Upper Iowa University

Lisa Chizek
North Tama County Community School District

Kendra Crooks
 Chickasaw County Extension and Outreach

 Kelly Cooper
 Dubuque Area
Labor-Management Council

 Erin Dragotto
 National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

 Larry Escalada
 University of
Northern Iowa

 Doreen Hayek
 University of
Northern Iowa

Ellen Heuer
 Martin Brothers Distributing

Bill Holland
JB Holland Construction

 Mason Kuhn
 University of
Northern Iowa

 Jason Martin-Hiner
 Keystone Area
Education Agency

Kim Miller
TDS Automation




  
 
BESTIowa STEM Council Awards   
STEM BEST® Projects     
     
The Iowa STEM Council Executive Committee voted unanimously to award 13 of 23 proposed new or expanded STEM BEST® (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) Program partnerships. These newly added partners bring the total to 50 partnerships in Iowa since 2014.
 
The STEM BEST® Program fosters a learning environment where students are able to participate in real workplace projects designed by business professionals and teachers and apply K-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics to skills, knowledge and behaviors needed for STEM careers.
 
Awards are used for equipping collaborative work spaces, educator training and development in workplace-classroom integration and curriculum development and coordination.  
 
 
The 2018 STEM BEST® Program awardees in the Northeast Iowa STEM Region are:
  • Allamakee Community School District
  • Cedar Falls Community School District
  • Central Community School District
Each awardee will serve as a model to share unique perspective, strengths, demographics and program focus with others schools across the state.
 
To learn more about the STEM BEST® Program and all 50 partners, visit www.IowaSTEM.gov/STEMBEST. 
 
  
 UNIThe University of Northern Iowa Recognizes STEM BEST® students
 
 
Iowa high school students who take part in an Iowa STEM BEST® (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers)  program now have the opportunity to earn scholarship money from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI).
 
There are two ways students can earn:
  1. Follow UNI on RaiseMe (https://www.raise.me/join/university-of-northern-iowa). Students can start a RaiseMe profile in the 9th grade and need to identify Iowa STEM BEST® as an activity.  Iowa residents who demonstrate financial need can see their potential UNI earnings through RaiseMe.
  2. High school seniors need to apply for admission to UNI and submit the UNI Scholarship Application by the deadline during their senior year. (Note: January 15, 2019 is the deadline for the class of 2019.) Students must identify as an Iowa STEM BEST® completer on their UNI Scholarship Application. Students who do not receive UNI's Distinguished Scholars Award will be offered a $500 scholarship ($125 per year, renewable for 4 years) to UNI.
 
More details can be found on the UNI Financial Aid & Scholarships website at   https://finaid.uni.edu/iowa-stem-best or contact Tim Bakula (Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships).
   
  
  CedarvalleyYou're Invited to Attend the  
Cedar Valley Family STEM Festival 
on November 8 in Waterloo     
         
Bring your whole family to the Cedar Valley Family STEM Festival on Thursday, November 8 from 4:00 to 7:30 PM at the Waterloo Convention Center (formerly known as the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center) in Waterloo.   

Experience FREE and FUN hands-on activities pertaining to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.  
 
What you will experience during the STEM festival:  
  • 71 STEM exhibits/activities for all ages
  • Robotics showcase - Junior First Lego League, First Lego League, First Tech Challenge and FIRST Robotics Competition
  • Exciting shows from Grout Museum and the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium
  • Visit our website to learn more
     
 
 
  
 computer
Computer Science is Elementary  
Application Details 
    
     
Application details are now available for Computer Science is Elementary. The project will transform six high-poverty elementary schools across Iowa into models of innovative computer science instruction by the 2020-2021 school year. A growing number of jobs require computer science skills. This program will help prepare students for success in computer science and future careers opportunities.
 
 
School districts and non-public school systems with an elementary building of at least 40 percent of students eligible for free- and reduced-price lunch are eligible to apply. Six awardees will be selected to receive a $50,000 planning award through a competitive award application process. One Computer Science is Elementary School will be located in each of the   six regions established by the Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council.
 
The application period will open in January 2019 and awards will be announced in the summer of 2019. The 2019-2020 school year will be used as a planning year for schools to weave computational thinking and other elements of computer science into their broader curriculum. After the Computer Science is Elementary Schools launch in August 2020, the schools will serve as a statewide resource for Iowa educators by sharing their curriculum and community engagement strategies.
 
The application template and additional information about the Computer Science is Elementary project can be found at www.IowaSTEM.gov/CSElementary .
 
  
  Fayettefestival The Northeast Iowa Family STEM Festival in Fayette was Awesome!! 
 
Awesome, was just one of the comments we received on October 18 when 26 exhibitors provided hands-on STEM activities during the Northeast Iowa Family STEM Festival in Fayette.   
 
Highlights: 
  • Total attendance: 378  (254 were 18 years of age or younger)
  • Cities/towns represented:  28
  • School Districts represented:  19
  • 77 percent of attendees had not attended a STEM festival in the past.
Comments from attendees:
  • All of it was great!
  • Fun Activities!!!
  • Great Way to Learn!!
  • Had an awesome time.
  • It was great
  • Very Fun
  • Great event-thanks!
On behalf of the planning committee, I want to thank the organizations that exhibited and shared their talents with the families throughout Northeast Iowa.