👉View this month's featured posts by clicking each image below:
📆2025–2026 Professional Development Opportunities from the STEM Hub!
Attention Instructional Leaders, Program Directors, and School Administrators: The STEM Hub is excited to offer a variety of STEM professional development opportunities throughout the 2025–26 school year. Our team can also customized workshops just for your team—whether you prefer virtual sessions, small group in-person PLCs, book studies, or full staff in-service trainings.
✨Topics: Growth Mindset, Digital Literacy, CS & Artificial Intelligence, Career Connected Learning & CTE, Science, and Elementary STEM
🤖Explore Our New AI Resource Library This Summer! As the school year winds down, it's a great time to explore gorgestem.org/ai— your go-to hub for Classroom Resources, Tools for Educators, and Resources for Families focused on AI in education. Whether you're planning for next year or just curious about the role of AI in learning, you'll find practical, ready-to-use materials and reading to support your journey.
As the school year wraps up, our team will be taking a summer break alongside many of you. Please note that there will be no newsletter sent out in July. We’ll resume in August with updates, resources, and news to help you prepare for the new school year. Wishing all our incredible educators a restful and rejuvenating summer—you’ve earned it!
Educator Recognition
Educators, As we wrap up the 2024-2025 school year, we want to express our sincere gratitude for your hard work, dedication, and passion. Your commitment to student success is truly inspiring.
This year, we were honored to feature many of you in our Educator Spotlight series, showcasing the incredible impact you're making. We encourage you to revisit these stories here: Educator Spotlight.
Thank you for all you do — we look forward to continuing this journey together!
⭐Have an educator you would like to nominate for our monthly Educator Spotlight?Let us know! Email Nicole at ntolmie@cgesd.k12.or.us
Educator Opportunities
➕Oregon Math Leaders Conference
🏓August 5–7, 2025 | Oregon State University, Corvallis
Illuminating Pathways: Nurturing the Brilliance Within - The theme of this year’s conference invites K-12 educators to celebrate student-centered mathematics and foster authentic, inclusive learning pathways. Sessions will center on deep reasoning, identity, and real-world connections. Hosted by Oregon Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
🤖K-12: ORTOP Robotics Coaching FREE Training Session (July)
Join ORTOP this summer for a series of FREE virtual and in-person workshops to learn about FIRST Robotics and how to coach students through LEGO SPIKE Prime programming!
💡Introduction to FIRST and ORTOP (Grades 2–12)
Discover how students build real-world skills through robotics and teamwork:
⛈MS-HS Math & Science: Computer Astronomy-A Universe of Calculations
In this online, 6-week workshop, teacher-participants will learn about math applications used in astronomy and space exploration, with the goal of being able to use the knowledge in their own classrooms. Tuition is $40.00.
📅September 15th course begins and will last 6 Saturdays (via Zoom)
💡K-12: Confusion to Clarity: 3 Steps to Mastering Graphic Workshop
In this FREE 4-hour asynchronous workshop, learn what the K-12 Visualization Types are and why and when to use each one. Hoted by Central Oregon STEM Hub and powered by Data Spire.
*Educators can start reserving items now to plan for 25-26 school year.
👨🏫K-5: Open SciEd - Integrated Science Lessons
Are you looking for examples on how to integrate ELA and mathematics standards into K-5 science instruction? The elementary OpenSciEd units provide models for weaving literacy and math practices into science units to support deeper learning. Students use reading, writing, and communication to explore and explain science ideas, strengthening both their ELA skills and math skills.
👩💼CTE Advisory Launch & Industry Engagement Campaign - Join us!
As part of a broader Gorge STEM Hub Industry Engagement Campaign, we’re building a regional directory to connect classrooms with local professionals across key sectors. This tool will encourage new collaborations, offer students authentic industry exposure, and help grow a stronger, locally rooted STEM workforce. To do that, we’re collecting information from industry partners on how they’d like to engage—through classroom visits, site tours, mentorship, guest speaking, project-based learning, and more.
👉Industry partners interested in engaging are encouraged to reach out to Kate Wurster at kwurster@cgesd.k12.or.us.
📔3-8 Grades: Afterschool Math Plus Curriculum Make math fun and engaging for grades 3–8 with this free curriculum! It builds math identity, connects to real-life experiences, and links lessons to careers through hands-on activities.
👨🏭K-12: Oregon's Career Connected Learning Resource Hub - Learn More!
Career Connect Oregon is a go-to resource for K-12 educators and students alike for exploring, planning, and accessing career-connected learning opportunities across Oregon.
Scholarships and Student Recognition
🏅Kylin Elliott, HRVHS Senior, awarded TAO's Tech Start Student of the Year
Kylin Elliott, a student at Hood River Valley High School, received the TechStart 2025 Girl Technology Student of the Year award for her exceptional academic achievements as an AP student and her long-standing commitment to STEM outreach through programs like FIRST Robotics, ORTOP, Columbia Gorge STEM Hub, and as a Teen STEM Mentor with Oregon State University. The TechStart award includes a $2,000 scholarship that can be applied to Kylin’s educational expenses and associated costs. Kylin was recommended by Columbia Gorge STEM Hub Director, Julie Cucuel.
🤖Support Future Innovators – Become a Robotics Coach! The A05 FRC Robotics Team at Hood River Valley High School is urgently seeking a dedicated coach (or co-coaches) for the 2025–2026 school year.
📅 Commitment: ~10+ hours/week, October–late March 📍 Includes: Weekend tournaments 💰 Stipend provided by HRCSD
Why Get Involved? • Mentor the next generation of STEM leaders • Share real-world tech experience • Build community impact into your work • Grow leadership and coaching skills within your team
Ideal for those in engineering, programming, design or anyone passionate about youth and robotics. Whether you can volunteer personally or know someone in your network, we’d love your help in spreading the word.
Interested or know someone? Contact Julie at Columbia Gorge STEM Hub: jcucuel@cgesd.k12.or.us, and we’ll connect you with the HRVHS A05 Team.
🧪Summer Resources for Elementary Kids & Families!
Explore summer STEM Learning opportunities, curated by the STEM Hub.
Oregon AHEC Health Care Career Exploration Day Camp (3-days, August)
🏓Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) – Portland
📅 August 4, 6, 11, 9 AM - 4 PM
Oregon AHEC Health Care Career Exploration Day Camp is a free, hands-on experience for Oregon high school students interested in health care careers. This one-day camp features hands-on medical simulations, expert speakers and career exploration in fields like medicine, nursing and research.
Climb aboard big rigs and specialty vehicles at this hands-on family event! Join us outside Wonderworks in The Dalles from 9:30am–12:30pm for a fun-filled morning exploring trade industries up close.
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