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Recipients of the 2023 Iowa STEM Teacher award were honored at STEM Day at the Fair.

Nominate an Inspiring STEM Teacher for Statewide Recognition

Since 2014, the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council, now at the Iowa Department of Education, has partnered with Kemin Industries to honor outstanding teachers who inspire a passion for STEM in young Iowans. Now in the tenth year, the Iowa STEM Teacher Award is accepting nominations of deserving teachers through Oct. 10.

Nearly 20 educators attended STEM Scale-Up Program training for TeacherGeek STEM Cart in West Union.

Teacher Prep Begins for Exemplar STEM Programming

Preparations are well underway by librarians, classroom teachers, homeschool networks, daycare providers and more to incorporate exemplary STEM programs during the upcoming academic year.

Educators took part in training for the 2022-2023 STEM Scale-Up Program Ready, Set, Drone. Scale-Up training for the coming academic is set to begin in July.

Top STEM Tools and Training Scaled to Educators Across Iowa

1,383 educators will be preparing for the upcoming academic year by attending STEM Scale-Up Program training this summer. A total of 43 training opportunities for 13 Scale-Up Programs will take place over the coming weeks to prepare teachers and other learning professionals to incorporate cutting edge STEM instruction this fall.

Students from Hawthorne Elementary School in Keokuk who participated in the STEM Scale-Up Program Robot Investigations with Finch Robot reported more confidence with new technology and increased interest in computer science and robotics.

Keokuk Students Grow with Computer Science

Each year, STEM Scale-Up Program evaluation data indicates positive impact in students’ test scores, in interest in STEM subjects and in pursuing STEM careers.

Elementary students from Storm Lake Community School District build computational thinking and problem-solving skills through the Scale-Up Program Tiny Techies.

STEM Scale-Up Program Demand Sets Record

A new milestone was reached for the STEM Scale-Up Program, which will have significant impact for in-school, after-school programs and other settings for Iowa youth in the 2023-2024 academic year. The STEM Council received 1,382 applications for the 2023-2024 STEM Scale-Up Program, a 27 percent increase from the 2022-2023 application period.

Abbie Chesling, teacher at St. Malachy Catholic School, and some of her kindergarten students demonstrated Storytime STEM-packs, a popular Scale-Up Program, at STEM Day at the Capitol.

Top STEM for Every Child via Scale-Up

Moons mats, Bee-Bots, drones and snap circuits are some of the learning tools offered, along with corresponding curriculum and training, through the Council’s STEM Scale-Up Program.

Students from the Clarinda School District demonstrate how they make computer science come to life with STEM Scale-Up Program Storytime STEM-packs.

Thirteen STEM Programs Selected to Scale in Iowa

Educator applications have opened for the STEM Scale-Up Program which provides access to exemplary STEM educational opportunities for students throughout the state. These programs are some of the top in the nation and offer a diverse range of STEM activities to nearly 100,000 students each year. The application period closes on February 28, 2023, at 6 p.m.

Teachers participated in Scale-Up Program professional development with Iowa Leadership in Engineering Design (ILED) over the summer.

STEM Program Providers Scale Up

Each year, the STEM Council seeks to provide top STEM education opportunities to all learners. With the intent to seed, jumpstart or expand little-known and exemplary programs proven to inspire and educate PreK-12 students, the STEM Scale-Up Program selects outstanding STEM programs through a rigorous review process.

Iowa educators prepare DNA samples for testing for the gene that determines how their taste buds sense cilantro.

K-12 STEM Excellence Begins in Summer

Two thousand Iowa educators have fanned out across the state in small groups this summer to get better at teaching STEM. From Sukup Hall at Iowa State University to Cline Hall at Drake, from Southwestern Community College at Red Oak to Schindler Hall at the University of Northern Iowa, from Keystone AEA to the Cherokee Yacht Club, and ninety-five more in-person and virtual gatherings.

CAM South Elementary students learn about Light and Shadow, a 2021-2022 STEM Scale-Up Program.

Educators Gear Up for STEM Scale-Up Programs

Nearly 2,000 educators are expected to attend professional development training on 13 selected STEM Scale-Up Programs during the next month. More than 112,000 Iowa students, grades PreK through 12, will have the opportunity to engage with these 13 high-quality STEM experiences in-school, afterschool and in other educational settings.