Design Days to Support STEM BEST Newcomers

Students involved in the STEM BEST Program at St. Theresa Catholic School work on career-based projects alongside industry professionals.

The STEM Council is partnering with the Iowa Area Education Agencies Online (AEA) to provide Design Days – six 30-minute mini-sessions through October and November and a one-day session in early November to share information and provide STEM BEST Program design support. Read more about Design Days to Support STEM BEST Newcomers

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STEM BEST Innovators Convene to Catalyze Change

STEM BEST Program community partners joined the BEST STEMposium to share perspectives on fostering workplace partnerships with schools.

Customized professional development, sharing of best practices and networking defined the 2023 BEST STEMposium. Approximately 75 of Iowa’s leading educational innovators gathered in Okoboji for two days to collaborate, learn from the experiences of others and plot the disruption of school-as-usual. Read more about STEM BEST Innovators Convene to Catalyze Change

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STEM BEST Students Turn Podcasters

Students from Boone EDGE, a STEM BEST Program, launched a podcast featuring Boone School District alumni and their career paths.

STEM education goes beyond science, technology, engineering and mathematics; it provides durable skills for the future and curiosity for life. What started as curiosity in technology and human connection led to the launch of a successful podcast for students from Boone High School. Read more about STEM BEST Students Turn Podcasters

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Making STEM Class Matter by Tying to World of Work

STEM BEST Program Boone Edge provides a work-based learning continuum of awareness, exploration and training in partnership with employers and higher education institutions.

Work-Based Learning (WBL), a phrase coined by the U.S. Department of Labor for career-technical education, is fast becoming mainstreamed into Iowa’s STEM classes as Career-Linked Learning (CLL). And for good reason: WBL, or CLL, is a potent instructional mode for contextualizing the learning of content and skills across subjects K through 12. Read more about Making STEM Class Matter by Tying to World of Work

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STEM BEST = Work-Based Learning

Students of No Boundaries Middle School (NOBOMS), a STEM BEST Program, assemble furniture for their room redesign.

Work-based learning is a phrase coined by the U.S. Department of Labor to label learning experiences for students in a workplace setting. The STEM BEST Program is one of many work-based learning, or what STEM leaders call career-linked learning, opportunities available through the STEM Council. Read more about STEM BEST = Work-Based Learning

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Students to Develop High-Demand Skills with STEM BEST + HD Program

The STEM BEST + HD Program application opens October 3.

The application period is quickly approaching for the STEM BEST + HD (High-Demand) Program. Beginning October 3, public and non-public K-12 school districts and school buildings can submit an application to launch or expand a business partnership model to provide students with career-linked learning experiences. Read more about Students to Develop High-Demand Skills with STEM BEST + HD Program

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future ready Iowa

Three Work-Based Learning Plans to Serve as Statewide Models

Spencer High School STEM BEST Program students travel to local work sites with high-demand jobs.

Career-linked learning, also known as work-based learning (WBL), is an effective tool for educators to link what is taught in the classroom to what is needed to thrive as employees and contributing members of the community. Skills and habits ranging from punctuality to problem solving and collaboration to critical thinking may best be acquired in the context of jobs and work. Read more about Three Work-Based Learning Plans to Serve as Statewide Models

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Twelve Schools Grow Workplace Experience through STEM BEST Program

Students paired with community and business volunteers to work on real-world projects using their makerspace.

The STEM BEST (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) Program of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council drives partnerships of K-12 schools and community employers. Read more about Twelve Schools Grow Workplace Experience through STEM BEST Program

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Forging Connections and Opportunities through BEST STEMposium

The BEST STEMposium offered a collaborative professional development experience for STEM BEST Programs.

More than 70 educators, administrators and business partners of STEM BEST Programs across the state attended the first-ever BEST STEMposium, held at the University of Northern Iowa. The event fostered meaningful conversations with STEM BEST Program leaders to enhance career-linked learning in communities across Iowa. Read more about Forging Connections and Opportunities through BEST STEMposium

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New STEM BEST Opportunity to Expand Career-Linked Learning

Students working on computer

Re-envisioning recyclable materials into usable products, developing entrepreneurial skills through student-run storefronts, taking on leadership roles at community and live events, simulating advanced manufacturing and healthcare experience through school business partnerships. These are a few of the many career-linked opportunities the STEM BEST Program is creating in Iowa. Read more about New STEM BEST Opportunity to Expand Career-Linked Learning

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