Washington State Stem Education Foundation

THE WASHINGTON STATE STEM EDUCATION FOUNDATION IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT CONNECTS AND UNITES THE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION ASSETS IN THE STATE TO PROVIDE INNOVATIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS OF THE MID-COLUMBIA. THE ORGANIZATION'S UNDERLYING GOAL IS TO PROVIDE AN INNOVATIVE KNOWLEDGE NETWORK ENGAGING ALL OF WASHINGTON'S FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES TO CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE STEM LEARNING, ASSESSMENT, LEADERSHIP, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

THE WASHINGTON STATE STEM EDUCATION FOUNDATION WAS BORN FROM OUR COMMUNITY'S PASSION FOR IMPROVING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AND HAS LED A COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORT TO EXPAND STEM EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS. WE WORK WITH EDUCATORS, BUSINESS LEADERS AND LEGISLATORS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE NECESSITY OF STEM EDUCATION BOTH IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THE STEM FOUNDATION CURRENTLY SUPPORTS THE PROGRAMS LISTED BELOW AND CONTINUES TO SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE STEM EDUCATION FOR ALL LOCAL STUDENTS. 1. DELTA HIGH SCHOOL: DELTA STUDENTS HAVE HAD MANY EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERACT WITH STEM PROFESSIONALS FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND ACROSS THE STATE BOTH IN-SCHOOL AND OUT, SUCH AS CAREER GUEST SPEAKERS, MENTORS, TOUR FACILITATORS AND ENHANCED CLASSROOM PROJECTS WORKING WITH SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS. IN SUPPORTING THE IMPLEMENTATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF DELTA HIGH SCHOOL AND ITS INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL APPROACH, THE STEM FOUNDATION HAS WORKED TO BUILD AUTHENTIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND TO SUPPORT REAL-WORLD, PROJECT BASED, STEM LEARNING. THESE PARTNERSHIPS HAVE NOT ONLY LED TO GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, BUT HAVE REKINDLED IN THE VOLUNTEERS THEIR PERSONAL PASSION FOR STEM FIELDS.2. EXPANDING THE STEM FOOTPRINT IN OUR COMMUNITY: WE ARE CURRENTLY ESCALATING OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS TO PARTNER WITH OTHER LOCAL SCHOOLS WHO ARE MOVING TOWARD A STEM-FOCUSED CURRICULUM.3. EXPANSION OF STEM-RELATED EVENTS WHICH RAISE SUPPORT FOR THE STEM LITERACY INITIATIVE IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND THROUGH OUR STEM CHAMPIONS INITIATIVE TO RECRUIT, TRAIN AND DEPLOY STEM PROFESSIONALS TO BE MENTORS AND RESOURCES FOR OUR LOCAL EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS.4. CONSISTENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND KEY MESSAGING TO EXPAND AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION BOTH LOCALLY AND STATEWIDE. SHIFT IN KNOWLEDGE: ANSWER THE QUESTION: WHY STEM? SHIFT IN ATTITUDES, BELIEFS AND EXPECTATIONS: WE BELIEVE STEM IS A WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUE FOR THE COMMUNITY INCREASED PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT: STEM IS A COMMUNITY-WIDE INITIATIVE, EMPOWERING MEMBERS TO TAKE ACTION INCREASED INVOLVEMENT IN LOCAL SCHOOLS: INCREASED EFFORTS OF THE COMMUNITY TO IMPROVING LOCAL SCHOOLS, CONTRIBUTE TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE INCREASED CAPACITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF STEM INITIATIVES: DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS, SHARING OF BEST PRACTICES AND MEASUREMENTS OF SUCCESS AND EVALUATION TOOLS5. COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS STEM WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: PUBLIC/ PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS SUPPORTING STEM COLLEGE AND STEM CAREER READY INFORMAL STEM LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WITH OTHER STEM FOCUSED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS