Happy New Year 2025!

Looking Ahead to DFSME’s 30th Anniversary

Delaware Foundation for Science & Math Education (DFSME) has been supporting Delaware's educators and the enhancement of Delaware's education system for several decades, with our 30th Anniversary being this year! 2025 is off to a tremendous start with much to look forward to in STEM education.

“We have witnessed many changes in the education ecosystem

and the challenges educators have faced over the years.

Our focus is to strengthen our Delaware STEM workforce for the future.”

— Randy Guschl, Executive Director

Delaware Foundation for Science and Mathematics Education



With our history of advocating for positive changes to improve science and math education for EVERY student in Delaware, we look forward in 2025 to taking endeavors to the next level, as well as stepping up successes with Delaware business and education partnerships.

We hope you enjoy this Edition!

Teachers Got an Inside Look at DE Companies

Educators & Businesses Collaborate on STEM Equity and Careers

Reprinted from STEMconnector Report, 4Q, 2024

Taking business and education endeavors to the next level, Delaware educators got an unparalleled professional development opportunity during 2024. Twelve businesses statewide offered exclusive access and tours enabling teachers to get a close look at current STEM industry technology and innovation trends they could take back to their classrooms.

“This professional development experience was by far the most

engaging and enlightening Professional Development

I have attended in the last 20 years of teaching science and math.”

Organized and co-hosted by DFSME and Delaware Dept. of Education, educators were able to visit two facilities of their choice from top-tier companies that included Agilent, Bloom Energy, Chemours, Chesapeake Utilities, ChristianaCare Gene Editing Institute, Croda, Kraft Heinz, Moonprint Solutions, New Ecology, Delaware Sea Grant University of Delaware Lewes Campus, SPI Pharma and Walmart.

Watch for our next Delaware STEM Equity In Action Day coming this Fall!

YES! 2025 Registration is Open! Registration Deadline: Feb 21

Get Inspired, Engaged & Involved in Saving the Planet!

The Delaware Youth Environmental Summit (YES!) invites Delaware high school students and educators with an interest in environmental action and justice. This FREE event promises to be bigger and better this year! The summit, planned by students, is aiming to welcome more than 1,000 Delaware high school students – double the attendance from the past several years.

6th Annual YES! Summit

Fri, Feb 28th • 7:30am - 2:30pm 

Chase Center, Wilmington, DE

Students will explore the most pressing state, national and global environmental issues, such as climate change, plastic pollution, fast fashion, advocacy, food waste and more. Please join us for educational workshops, speakers, exhibitors, raffle prizes, and to learn about volunteer opportunities.

How to Register

Secure an adult advisor and sign up as a group. Registration deadline: Feb 21st. Space is limited.

Need assistance getting your team to YES!? Team advisors/educators can apply for this first come, first serve while available.

For more information and to register, scan the QR code or click here.

Free breakfast and lunch is provided.

“YES!” Is Honored with the Jon Manon STEAM Team Educators Award

It was an honor for the efforts of current and past YES! teams to be recognized in November by the DFSME at the 10th annual Delaware STEM Educator Awards. The 2024 team was composed of both teachers and students who partnered with corporations, agencies and nonprofits.

As part of YES! being recognized with the 2024 Manon Award, the program also garnered a $1,000 prize which will go toward expenses related to the expansion of the 2025 Summit.

In recognizing YES!, DFSME Executive Director Randy Guschl described Delaware YES! as "an organization of high school students from across the state who are passionate about protecting our Earth.” Carter Lunsford, the team’s 2024-2025 student co-leader, said, “YES! Is a powerful catalyst with youth involvement making a difference on environmental issues. They have been instrumental in securing passage of single-use plastic bag legislation in 2019. Delaware was only the fourth state in the U.S. to pass such legislation."

Want to Improve STEM Education? Here’s How

Federal agencies, states, and school districts should develop robust methods to expand the use of promising innovations that can improve STEM education from pre-K through high school, according to a new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Over several decades, the federal government has allocated resources to strengthen education in science, technology, engineering, and math, the report notes. This has led to the development of a rich variety of educational innovations – programs, practices, models, and technologies – to support teaching and learning within the STEM disciplines.

Robust, systemic change across the education system is needed to achieve

major improvements in STEM education outcomes for students.

The report includes a compendium of over 50 successful evidence-based education innovations across the U.S. The programs span various audiences, subjects, and approaches–ranging from a program to help pre-K students develop informal mathematical knowledge and skills, to a portal that educators can use to access educational materials on climate and energy topics, to a program that helps middle school and high school students learn to code by creating original music remixes… >> READ MORE

Rethinking STEM to Shape the Future Workforce

Preparing Students for Industry 5.0 Readiness

The rise of AI and automation is reshaping industries, creating an urgent need for students to develop technical competencies and think innovatively about how these technologies can be applied. The future workforce must be able to work alongside machines in ways we can’t even fully anticipate yet. Anticipating this demands an education system that evolves to meet future challenges – not just by focusing on coding or data analysis but by cultivating skills that will prove invaluable in navigating new, unforeseen challenges.

By incorporating creative, physical, and project-based lessons

into the curriculum, we foster the innovation, adaptability, and collaboration

essential for the future workforce.

Hands-on STEM learning is key to this evolution. As work becomes increasingly global and cross-functional, students must develop the ability to communicate effectively in diverse teams. Experiential learning projects, such as team-based STEM competitions, teach students the importance of working together toward shared goals while honing their communication skills, mirroring the collaborative environments they will encounter in the workforce.



Inquiry-based learning is a catalyst for the future workforce. As we move deeper into Industry 5.0, the demand for a workforce that can blend technical skills with innovative problem-solving increases. Integrating hands-on technology like drones into educational environments offers a dynamic way to address this need. It allows students to connect with STEM fields practically and inspiringly. Educators have the crucial responsibility to provide students with the necessary tools and perspectives.

DFSME 2025 Seed Grants

Seed Grant Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000

Applications Now Being Accepted

Proposals are now being accepted for DFSME 2025 Seed Grants. Teachers, administrators, and non-formal education groups may apply.

DFSME provides Seed Grants each year for innovative programs that support our mission and vision and are suited to standards-based STEM education for Delaware teachers and students.

Seed Grants are designed to provide a portion of the costs of a program that either is new or that replicates a successful program in a new geographic area or for a new population.

Preferred programs are research-driven, produce measurable outcomes and data that can be shared and, if successful, can be adopted by others and become self-sustaining. If a program is proposed by a private school or agency, the program must be open to participants from public schools.

Please submit a proposal of no more than five pages.

For more information, details, and to access the application, click here.

February 22, 2025

Engineering Your Tomorrow

A STEM Career Day for Girls - Grades 6-8

Engineering Your Tomorrow (EYT) is a FREE program for middle school girls who will participate in a fun-filled day of hands-on lab activities. They will discover how STEM impacts the world around us while also encouraging their enthusiasm for learning.

At EYT, middle school girls will spend the day with scientists and engineers testing scientific hypotheses and exploring STEM careers. The girls and their parents/caregivers will experience how exciting engineering and science can be!

The Feb. 22 event will be held at Conrad Schools of Science from 9:30am to 3:30pm and will include workshops, demos, plus panels and info sessions for parents/caregivers. Lunch will be provided.

Engineering Your Tomorrow is presented by Million Women Mentors – Delaware

and sponsored by DuPont, Incyte, Agilent, FMC, Ashland, Croda, Hologic,

DFSME and Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids.

January's Outstanding Delaware Women in STEM Honoree

Marguerite “Peggy” Vavalla retired after a 41-year career at DuPont where she rose to leadership roles in STEM community outreach assistance to help public schools with science and math education. She coordinated corporate and state efforts, serving as a key link in supporting the beginning and growth of the Smithsonian Project. Peggy was an early champion of Vo-Tech schools, Future Farmers of America, Career & Technical Education and STEM Pathways and was the Founder and President of FIRST Robotics.

Million Women Mentors is the premier network dedicated to encouraging girls and women around the world to pursue, persist and succeed in STEM careers. The Delaware STEM Council and DFSME are partners in the event along with MWM-DE and the Office of the Governor, State of Delaware.

2025 Delaware Outstanding Women in STEM 

Call for Nominations • Deadline for Submissions: Feb 28

Please nominate a mentor, colleague or other notable female scientist, researcher, technologist, or engineer for recognition by Million Women Mentors - Delaware. Nominees should have ties to Delaware by birth, education or career, and may be living or deceased.   

Up to ten honorees will be selected for recognition during the

5th Annual Celebration of Delaware Women & Girls in STEM Day

in March at Legislative Hall in Dover, Delaware.

For questions, please email mwm.dfsme@gmail.com.

Attention #Delaware & #STEM + #CTE Advocates

Delaware Science Olympiad 2025

Delaware Science Olympiad inspires students to achieve the next level

in their science education through exciting and challenging competitions.

2025 Delaware Tournaments

High School Tournament • March 1st

Junior High Tournament • March 15th

Elementary Tournament • April 12th • John Dickinson School

Team Registration Is Open

Schools are encouraged to register their team(s) as soon as possible.

For more information, location updates and registration, click here.

The High School and Junior high Tournaments have been

held at Delaware State University for 40+ years.

This year’s tournament locations may need to change.

Delaware Science Olympiad is an all-volunteer organization and welcomes new volunteers to help with tournaments.

There are 24 events at both high school and junior high tournaments, and 10 events at elementary tournaments.

To share your expertise and join our team, please email DEScienceO@gmail.com.

Although team registration fees are a primary source of our funding, Delaware Science Olympiad also relies on donations from individuals, corporations and other organizations. Corporations or organizations can sponsor an event. Click here to make a donation or sponsor an event.

Delaware Science Olympiad is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

Now through February 6, 2025

Presidential Awards for Math & Science Teaching (PAEMST)

Nominations and applications are now open to 7-12th grade teachers!

Being recognized as a PAEMST Awardee is a tremendous honor.

We hope you will consider celebrating a teacher in your community by nominating them.

We welcome multiple nominations if you know more than one teacher deserving of this award.

 To nominate a 7-12th grade STEM teacher today, click here.

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February 22, 2025 • 9:30am-3:30pm

Engineering Your Tomorrow

FREE STEM Career Day for Middle School Girls

REGISTRATION IS OPEN

Calling Future Engineers and Scientists!

Girls in grades 6-8 will spend the day with scientists

and engineers exploring STEM careers through fun, hands-on lab activities!

Parents/caregivers/teachers are encouraged to attend.

We'll have info sessions to help you guide girls in making academic choices

that will prepare them for higher education and careers in STEM fields.

Registration is FREE thanks to our generous sponsors. Lunch will be provided.

Conrad Schools of Science, Wilmington, DE

To register, click here.

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Save the Date! February 28, 2025

The 6th annual YES! Delaware Youth Environmental Summit

FREE! Bigger and even better this year!

Planned by students, the 2025 YES! Summit will be held at Chase Center at the Riverfront.

Free for Delaware high school students and educators who are advisors to school teams.

Students explore the most pressing state, national and global environmental issues

and engage in steps they can take on campus and beyond.

We welcome ALL Delaware schools to participate!

For more information and to register, click here.

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March 1, High School • March 15, Junior High • April 12, Elementary

2025 Delaware Science Olympiad Tournaments

Delaware Science Olympiad inspires students to achieve the next level

in their science education through exciting and challenging competitions.

For more information, location updates and registration, click here.

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Save the Date! March 7, 2025

2025 Sussex County Science Fair

The science fair provides an opportunity for students in grades 6-12 to

present their original research in science, mathematics, or engineering.

Any student in Sussex & lower Kent Counties is welcome. Sponsors need not be teachers;

any responsible adult qualifies. Students in New Castle and upper Kent Counties

should contact the Stanton Campus of Del Tech for their Science Fair.

Owens Campus of Delaware Technical and Community College

For more information, click here.

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March 14-23, 2025

National STEM Week 2025

National STEM Week 2025: A ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math.

Join in with a vibrant lineup of events hosted by museums, libraries,

and top STEM organizations nationwide.

From hands-on activities to interactive workshops and inspiring talks.

Each FREE event is crafted to ignite curiosity and inspire learners of all ages.

Whether you're engaging in your local community or from home,

dive into a world of STEM discovery and innovation!

For more information and activities, click here.

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Save the Date! April 29, 2025

Delaware Pathways Conference

Explore the future of career pathways in Delaware,

connect with leaders in education and industry,

and learn innovative strategies to empower students.

Don’t miss this impactful event shaping the workforce of tomorrow.

Event location: Bally’s in Dover. Registration details forthcoming.

For more information, contact mike.fitzgerald@doe.k12.de.us.

DFSME thanks the following organizations for contributions to STEM education in Delaware.

STEM Legacy

DuPont | LabWare

STEM Heritage

Ashland | Mountaire Farms | Verizon

STEM Sustainer

Bloom Energy

STEM Network

Croda | Delmarva Power | Walmart



STEM Business

Agilent Technologies | American Chemical Society Delaware Section | Autumn Arch | Chesapeake Utilities

STEM Gifts in Kind

ChristianaCare | Corteva Agriscience | Delaware Department of Education

Delaware Design Company | Delaware Technical Community College | Delaware Nature Society

DelawareBio | Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control

EDiS | FAME, Inc. | Junior Achievement | Million Women Mentors | STEMconnector

Stroud Water Research Center | University of Delaware | Whisman Giordano & Associates

Partners Community

Delaware Afterschool Network | Delaware Department of Education

Delaware Pathways | Career and Technical Education Cadre | Delaware Math Coalition

Delaware Science Coalition | Delaware STEM Council Healthy Food for Healthy Kids

Wilmington Urban STEM Initiative

Delaware Foundation for Science and Math Education

100 W. 10th Street, Suite 612 

Wilmington, DE 19801 

Tel: 302.397.0034 | Fax: 302.397.0036 

Email: anne.dfsme@gmail.com

www.dfsme.org

©2023 Delaware Foundation for Science and Math Education

501(c)(3) Education nonprofit dealing with K-16 STEM education in Delaware schools.