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❄️Happy December!
Hello, {{Constituent First Name}}, Please see this month's updates from the Columbia Gorge STEM Hub.
STEM Hub News
🤖 Thank you, Gorge Technology Alliance, for your donations to support competitive robotics teams in the Gorge!
With your partnership, the STEM Hub has provided robotics grants to 38 teams in the region, totaling $18,919.47. Your donations helped increase student access to computer science education, ensured affordability for coaches, and helped inspire the next generation of problem-solvers!
Congratulations to Hood River Middle School “CINOSS” team, The Dalles Middle School & Wasco County 4-H “Disconauts” team, and WyEast Middle School “Arcade Tricksters” team for qualifying for the Oregon State VEX IQ Robotics Championship in Sandy, Oregon!
Detailed in the plan are strategies, measures for monitoring progress, considerations that provide context and details, a potential timeline, and funding discussions.
The purpose of the Computer Science Education Statewide Implementation Plan is to provide direction and a reference for educators, policymakers, industry professionals, and community members moving forward.
ODE and the HECC will be hosting a series of office hours to share highlights from the plan and to answer questions. The registration links are below.
🎓Save the Date: College & Career Expo - April 19, 2024
The College & Career Expo Event Planning Team will be reaching out to schools in the new year with details regarding workshop offerings, college & career fair participants, and school registration instructions - stay tuned!
📣Educator Spotlight - Highlighting Achievements of Local Educators
Jamie Sowell, South Wasco High School's Director of Technology, is a dedicated STEM educator excelling in teaching Calculus, Computer Science, and CAD while coaching the STEM club and High School VEX Robotics team. Jamie is a finalist for this year’s GTA STEM Educator of the Year! His commitment to STEM education is evident through volunteering at VEX State Championships, mentoring VEX IQ teams, and founding the High School "Girls Who Code" team, fostering impressive inclusivity with 75% female and 25% Native American participation.
Jamie reintroduced CAD teachings after 16 years at South Wasco, covering laser cutting, Solidworks 3-D modeling, and 3-D printing. He offers dual credit courses in Computer Science and Calculus, holds a CTE Advanced Manufacturing license, and secured a CTE Revitalization grant to establish a CTE computer lab. Sowell's diverse skill set extends to videography at school events, another example of his commitment to supporting local students!
Have an educator you would like to nominate for our monthly spotlight?
Let us know! Email Nicole at ntolmie@cgesd.k12.or.us
Educator Opportunities
🐝Elementary Educators: Bee Bot Training - Thursday, Feb. 1st (Virtual)
Join the STEM Hub virtually on Thursday, February 1st from 6-8 pm to learn about computer science fundamentals as well as how to incorporate BeeBots into core content areas!
Be sure to periodically check our website, Facebook and our newsletter for upcoming Professional Development opportunities in our region!
💻OR High School Teachers: FREE, Paid PD Opportunities
The Portland Metro STEM Partnership (PMSP) and Greater Oregon STEM Hub (GO STEM) will be holding numerous professional learning opportunities for the High School Science for All, aka "Patterns" courses (Physics, Chemistry, Biology). Thanks to the WRAP (Well-Rounded Access Program) grant, participating Oregon high school science teachers can earn $50/hour to attend school-year PD sessions.
🧪K-12 Science Teachers: FREE 3-day Teacher Training focused on field-based science inquiry - Two Sessions in February & August
In this 3-day workshop, educators can participate in hands-on field opportunities and classroom time to develop curriculum and strategies to promote student-driven field-based science inquiry projects. Training is sponsored by the Diack Ecology Education Program of the Oregon Science Teachers Association and the Jane Goodall Environmental Middle School (JGEMS), a public charter school in Salem, Oregon, focusing on field-based environmental science. Meals and lodging will be provided. Opportunities will be available to apply for grants.
👵Gorge Women in STEM (GWIS) is Seeking New Members
The Gorge Tech Alliance helped start Gorge Women in STEM (GWIS) in late 2017 as a group dedicated to connecting and supporting women working in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math in the Gorge. The GTA is seeking a few regular volunteers to provide input on planning events and attend quarterly meetings.
Applications are open for Oregon Science Teachers Association 2024 Awards and Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics & Science Teaching. Each region will be represented in OSTA's awards; consider nominating a colleague today!
🔬Lending Library New Window Opens Jan. 1st - Reserve Your Items Today!
The Lending Library is a FREE resource to Oregon Educators across our 5 counties (Gilliam, Hood River, Sherman, Wasco, and Wheeler) in addition to Klickitat and Skamania counties. All items are educational and will inspire STEM in your students!
👨🔬Virtual Career Talks Within The Renewable Energy Field
SD Pathways is a program of the National Renewable Energy Lab(one of the U.S. Dept of Energy research labs) that brings STEM in-person and virtual career talks from professionals within Architecture & Construction, Information Technology, Manufacturing, and STEM fields into high school classrooms, clubs, or other student groups.
CCL Hub Educator Resources: Curated content for career awareness, exploration, and training. Learn More
Career Journeys Video Series: Explore career stories from a variety of professionals throughout Oregon. Learn More
Magic School AI: An amazing AI tool for teachers that can help connect content to careers and answer that age-old question, “When am I going to use this in the real world?” Magic School AI has many other features including: lesson planning, rubric generation and assessment generators!Learn More
Youth & Community Opportunities
🌲High School Students: Natural Resources Career Day - May 20, 2023
Join Gorge Ecology Outdoors (GEO)for Natural Resources Career Day, an event for high school students to explore careers in the natural resources sector. Students will learn from professionals in fields like forestry, wildlife management, and environmental science, while engaging in a hands-on field study. Event is open to any high school student who is interested in working outside.
📆When: May 20, 2023
📍Where:Brooks Memorial State Park (North of Goldendale)
Questions? Contact Danny Cosgrove: danny@gorgediscovery.org
🥾FVRL - Featured Library Resource: WA Backpacks / Discover Pass
Check out an activities backpack kit containing binoculars, field guides, educational materials, and a Discover Pass, which allows FREE access to Washington State Parks and other state lands in Washington. Place a hold and pick up when one is available for you.
👨💻Amazon's Future Engineer Scholarship is Now Open - Apply by Dec. 15
High school seniors planning to attain a bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, robotics, or other computer science-related field of study can apply for up to $40,000 towards an undergraduate degree in engineering or computer science and an offer to complete a summer internship at Amazon!
Applications are now OPEN and will close on December 15th at 4:00 pm EST.
📪Do you have a STEM event or STEM news you’d like us to share in our next newsletter? We’d love to partner with you to create a greater awareness around STEM & Career Connected Learning initiatives that are happening in our 5-County Region and beyond.
Submit your event here and a member of the STEM Hub will review it!
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