Power of Discovery: STEM2 Seeks to Expand Out of School Learning Opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
The California STEM Learning Network and the California After School Network announced awards to expand learning opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) for young people in California’s out-of-school time settings.
News Release: Contact: John McDonald
September 18, 2012 (310 798-3252 (310) 880-5332
(Sacramento) The California STEM Learning Network and the California After School Network today announced awards to fund three regional partnerships as part of the Power of Discovery: STEM2, a new statewide initiative to expand learning opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) for young people in California’s out-of-school time settings.
The $70,000 awards will fuel the work of Regional Innovation Support Providers to provide critical support for STEM learning. The regional partnerships will work to foster leadership, build effective regional partnerships and provide necessary supports to build capacity of out-of-school time programs that ensure the expansion of quality STEM learning opportunities. Regional Innovation Providers will be established in the following regions:
- Greater Bay Area: Alameda County Office of Education (ACOE), the Gateways East Bay STEM Network and the Tech Museum of Innovation
- Orange County/San Diego: OC STEM Initiative/ San Diego County Office of Education
- Sacramento: Sacramento County Office of Education
The Regional Innovation partnerships are part of The Power of Discovery: STEM2, a new initiative to build collaborative and effective partnerships between schools and after school organizations. The effort will mobilize a broad coalition of community partners including higher education and business and industry with STEM expertise and resources to engage California’s students in the hands on exploration and practice of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The initiative aims to to foster excitement, curiosity and interest in learning and further student understanding of the concepts of the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. Promising practices and lessons learned in this effort will be disseminated throughout California through a virtual innovation support.
“Expanding STEM learning opportunities for students is critical to the future of our state, said Chris Roe, Chief Executive Officer of the California STEM Learning Network. “We look forward to working with these talented Regional Support Providers and others to enhance and expand STEM learning for California’s students.”
“ California’s after school and summer learning programs are essential, flexible places of learning serving the students and communities in California that need the most support,” said Jeff Davis, Program Director for the California AfterSchool Network. “This initiative is leveraging over 4,500 statewide after school programs to engage students in high quality STEM learning opportunities that will increase knowledge and interest in STEM, and address gaps in the employment market.”
Oversight for the new initiative is provided by a nine-member council with representatives from public education, business, after school, and higher education. Council member and UC Davis, School of Education Dean, Harold Levine, stated “This is a cross-sector approach to encourage students’ pursuit of STEM-related fields at the university and in future careers, and to strengthen the expanding regional partnerships’ capacity to lead innovations in STEM learning.”
The Power of Discovery: STEM2 is a project of the California After School Network and the California STEM Learning Network. Funding for the initiative is provided by the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the Noyce Foundation, and the Samueli Foundation. For more information visit the website at http://stem.afterschoolnetwork.org/
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