The Northwest STEM region's honoree is JoAnne Sackett, the Tag/Explore Lab STEM Teacher at Okoboji Elementary School in Milford, IA. Mrs. Sackett uses "hands-on experiences, thought provoking activities and the implementation of universal constructs" to make her eXplore Lab collaborative and unique, according to her nomination for this award. She ends every class period with the chant, "We are MAKERS!" with her students. Last year was the first year of the Okoboji Elementary eXplore Lab, which offers unique STEM learning during student's specials and for neighboring school districts, as well. Mrs. Sackett gets to see every student in every grade and introduce interdisciplinary STEM learning with their core class curriculum, as well as additional opportunities that introduce students to STEM careers and projects.

Mrs. Sackett has brought in community resources from the Okoboji Sailing Center, the Science Center of Iowa and other regional science centers through the ASTC Science Center Passport Program, and local naturalists from the Dickinson County Nature Center to enhance her lab education. She put on a Code-In Day at the beginning of December where all elementary students spent the morning coding with different programs, and each class received a book from a business partner where the business partner was able to come in and read the book to the class and teach them about how coding is used in their business. She is also planning a STEM Night in February in partnership with the Okoboji Pioneer Parents group, where students will be able to bring their parents to the eXplore Lab for an evening of STEM.

Interdisciplinary and collaborative STEM learning is a cornerstone of Mrs. Sackett's teaching. She has collaborated with various grades and classes to weave STEM skills and concepts in with other subjects. Her Kindergarteners do a full lesson on bugs with the core classroom teachers, where they identify and label bugs, explore their habitats and then create their own insect and habitat. With her 1st graders, she combines literature, geography, engineering and math in a Bridge Building unit. Her 2nd graders test variables and learn basic science speed and distance concepts in her Zip Lines and Paper Rockets unit. For her 3rd graders, Mrs. Sackett partners with Okoboji Elementary School's music teacher, Jo Gehrke, to teach their students to code a song, build a cardboard instrument and then write and perform a piece of music to a live audience.

Mrs. Sackett incorporates the Universal Constructs into all of her STEM lessons; critical thinking, complex communication, creativity, collaboration, flexibility/adaptability and productivity/accountability. She continues to develop herself professionally as an officer of the Dickinson County Nature Center Board and as a STEM consultant to the YMCA of the Okobojis and Camp Foster. She was accepted to participate in the GenCyber Camp at Dakota State University in Madison, SD and also to attend the 2017 Minnesota TIES Conference. Prior to being in STEM education, Mrs. Sackett taught Gifted Education and served on the Iowa Talented and Gifted Board.

This award recognizes and celebrates one teacher from each of the six STEM regions who goes above and beyond to increase their student's interest in STEM. Each recipient is recognized for their dedication in representing I.O.W.A.; by being Innovative in their methods, Outstanding in their passion for education, Worldly in the way they help students see that STEM is all around them, and Academic through engaging students in the classroom to prepare them for higher education and high-demand careers. Each recipient was selected by a panel of judges after being nominated for the award by a colleague, school administrator, parent, student or community member and completing an application showcasing their contributions to STEM education. Each recipient will receive $1,500 for personal use and another $1,500 for their classroom.

Sackett and the other five recipients have each been honored with ceremonies in their classrooms with their students and peers and will also be recognized together at STEM Day at the Capitol, with Gov. and STEM Council Co-Chair Kim Reynolds and a representative from Kemin Industries the morning of Wednesday, February 13th. For more information about the award and all current and previous recipients, please visit www.stemaward.fluidreview.com.

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 .