Texas EcosySTEM Newsletter
Education Service Center Region 11 - March 2021
What is STEM?
STEM is not a commodity to be bought, sold, earned, or awarded. It is an awareness, recognition, and acceptance of reality. A symbol of a way forward with confidence and hope!
_____________________________________________________________________
District Admin, Campus, Teacher Opportunities
Coolest Projects Online 2021
WHAT: Online Technology Showcase for Young People
WHO: Any student up to the age of 18
DEADLINE: May 3, 2021
COST: Free
Coolest Projects online is the world's leading technology showcase for young people. If you enjoy making things with technology, Coolest Projects online is an amazing opportunity to get creative, have fun, and celebrate what you have made.
Your creation will be showcased in the Coolest Projects online gallery for people worldwide to see! Coolest Projects online is free, it is open to anyone up to the age of 18, and you can join in wherever you are in the world.
Coolest Projects is an initiative run by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, and we welcome projects of all levels and stages. The project does not have to be finished!
It's easy to take part! Whether your project is in progress, a prototype, or completely finished, you can join in! Register your idea, then turn it into a reality and share it with the world!
_____________________________________________________________________
#UTGIRLDAY
Organizations can still participate in Girl Day. Updates will be posted on the Shows page.
#UTGirlDay with programming for K-8th graders/families/educators and high school students started today! Dates adjusted and extended due to the winter storms across Texas.
Register any time between now and March 7th to access content, receive eNewsletters full of hands-on activity content and other resources, and more!
Girl Day at UT Austin, including Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day and the Girl Day STEM Festival, will be held virtually Monday, February 22, 2021, through Sunday, March 7, 2021. Programming this year includes K-8th graders, high schoolers, and any adults who may want to join in our 3 film screenings. Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (Girl Day) is an international event celebrated during Engineers Week each year. Girl Day at UT Austin includes the Monday, March 1, 2021, celebration of Texas Girls in STEM Day and the beginning of Women's History Month. It also includes World Engineering Day on Thursday, March 4, 2021.
Film Screenings Extended through March 7!
Join us for special #UTGirlDay film screenings for high school students, college students, educators, and adults. Visit https://girlday.utexas.edu/filmscreenings for more details.
- ConnectHER Women & Girls in Tech Film Screening - Saturday, February 20, 2021, through Sunday, March 7, 2021 - Watch anytime on your own device - No Registration Needed - Watch Online
- Coded Bias Film Screening - Sunday, February 20, 2021, through Sunday, March 7, 2021 - Watch anytime on your own device -Register Online
High School Programming – for schools, students, families
Join us for special #UTGirlDay sessions and events from partnering organizations designed for high school students. With all of Girl Day at UT Austin virtual this year, we're inviting high school students to join us to explore STEM college majors and careers. Learn more at https://girlday.utexas.edu/highschool.
K-8 Programming
Programming for K-8th graders will occur in virtual booths open Noon - 4:00 p.m. each weekend of Engineers Week. Themed Girl Day at UT Austin newsletters sent each day Friday, February 19th (welcome and introduction information) through Monday, March 1, will include themed content, activities, and resources. Resources will be available for families and educators for use in school or out of school. Visit https://girlday.utexas.edu/events for a schedule of events and previews of activities to be hosted in the weekend virtual booths. Register to receive all themed content, grade-specific event and activity information, and more! Register any time between now and March 7th, and you’ll receive access to all content.
- Monday, March 1: eNewsletter celebrating Texas Girls in STEM Day, Women's History Month, and 20 Years of Girl Day at UT Austin
- Tuesday, March 2: eNewsletter with Activities and Content with Theme of Exploring Earth and Energy
- Wednesday, March 3: eNewsletter with Activities and Content with the Theme of Moving Around: Land, Water, Air and Space
- Thursday, March 4: eNewsletter with Activities and Content with the Theme of Creating in Code: Computing, Cybersecurity, Robotics
- Friday, March 5: eNewsletter with Activities and Content with the Theme of Imagining Beyond Sky and Space
- Saturday, March 6: eNewsletter plus Afternoon Live Interaction, Activity Booths and Shows on Brazen with STEM Role Models and Organizations - Themes of 1) Exploring Earth and Energy and 2) Moving Around: Land, Water, Air and Space
- Sunday, March 7: eNewsletter plus Afternoon Live Interaction, Activity Booths, and Shows on Brazen with STEM Role Models and Organizations - Themes of 1)Creating in Code: Computing, Cybersecurity, Robotics and 2) Imagining Beyond Sky and Space
For more information, contact Tricia Berry at triciaberry@utexas.edu.
_________________________________________________________________________
Space4Women
_____________________________________________________________________
STEMONADE Family Engagement Career Kits and Posters
Districts and Campuses
WHAT: Kits Grades 1-4; Posters Grades EC-12
Get students college and career ready early with STEMONADES Family Engagement Kits and Posters.
_____________________________________________________________________
T-STEM Academy Blueprint Revision Process
What is a T-STEM Academy? Texas Science, Technology, Engineering and, Mathematics (T-STEM) Academies are open-enrollment secondary schools focusing on improving instruction and academic performance in science and mathematics-related subjects and increasing the number of students who study and enter STEM careers. T-STEM Academies may operate as grades 6-12 or 9-12.
What is a Blueprint? The T-STEM Blueprint provides foundational principles and standards for innovative partnerships with colleges, universities, and industry. The T-STEM Blueprint includes outcome-based measures (OBM) in Access, Attainment, and Achievement and provides guidance for program implementation and continuous improvement efforts.
How to Provide Feedback
We are calling all STEM educators to participate in the T-STEM Blueprint revision process. There is no application process to participate. STEM educators are encouraged to take the survey and provide targeted feedback during the Focus Group sessions.
Survey: T-STEM Landscape Surveys will be available between February 1, 2021, and April 2, 2021, for interested stakeholders to provide feedback on design elements and the OBM.
Focus Groups: T-STEM will hold ten focus group sessions starting in February and concluding in June 2021. Each session will be virtual and capped at 25 participants.
T-STEM Focus Group Registration
More information can be found on the CCRSM Webpage.
_____________________________________________________________________
Virtual STEAM Carnival - March 1-2 & 4, 2021
What to Expect in Our Virtual Big Top
The STEAM Carnival is a rush of learning and fun, all packed into a 3-hour field trip that will leave your students wanting more. Most years, they are met with an animatronic T-Rex staring them down as they enter the doors, hands-on experiences throughout the center, rockets flying, drones, flight simulators, and more. For the safety of our guests, this year, we are going to be hosting our STEAM Carnival virtually! So...what does that mean for your students?
Game shows, Virtual Escape Challenges, Student Showcases, and more!
We are currently working with several of our partners from our previous events, along with even more guests from all over the world...and maybe even out of this world!
Students will have:
- Individual challenges/competitions against other students from across the state
- Team challenges designed to help your class get out of the escape room
- Classroom showcase projects
- Famous guests, celebrities, and talents
- Opportunities to win tickets to the 2022 STEAM Carnival
- A chance to be part of the intro video with your classmates!
The event will consist of a 2 1/2 hour interactive event with an optional team challenge to do in your classroom to complete your day.
Virtual Student Showcase
The STEAM Carnival began in 2016 and is growing each year with new and exciting activities for the participants. One of our biggest attractions is our Student Showcase zone. Region 11 schools nominate their projects and programs for the chance to be chosen to showcase their ideas and creations to 1,200+ students during each of the carnival days. As the first zone for our attendees, the Student Showcase helps set the tone for their entire experience!
This year, we are doing something a little different. With the pandemic keeping students from attending in person, we are hosting our event as an immersive virtual event. The Student Showcase will still give students a chance to showcase their project and work to a live audience via video conference, which will be recorded and shared in our digital Student Showcase Zone for attendees to browse and view.
____________________________________________________________________________
From Research to Practice: An Up-to-Date look at Gender Equity in STEM Online
WHEN: March 9, 2021
TIME: Noon Pacific/3:00 p.m. Eastern (1 hour)
Join the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) as we celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day (March 8) with an important webinar highlighting gender equity in STEM.
For nearly 20 years, NGCP has worked to advance the agenda in gender equity by encouraging girls to pursue careers in STEM. In this research-to-practice webinar, we will learn about up-to-date research regarding gender equity in STEM and how it impacts girls and women learning and working in STEM. We will also engage in conversation around strategies and resources for continued progress in supporting girls and women in STEM.
Participants will hear from Brenda Britsch, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist with the NGCP; Gabriela A. González, Deputy Director and Operations Manager of the Intel Foundation; Dr. Zahra Hazari, Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning and the STEM Transformation Institute at Florida International University; Dr. LaShawnda Lindsay, Research Scientist, and Black Girls Create Project Director; and Karen Peterson, CEO, and Founder of the National Girls Collaborative Project
_____________________________________________________________________
Governor Abbott announced Partnership with CyberStart America
WHO: High School (9-12)
WHAT: Talent Search
SCHOLARSHIPS: 2 million dollars in scholarships will be given away
A free national program aiming to uncover hidden cyber talents, promote cyber safety, and identify and develop the next generation of cyber superstars among Texas high school students. (Grades 9-12th grades). https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-announces-partnership-with-cyberstart-america-to-promote-cybersecurity-career-track-for-texas-high-school-students
The online cyber games and competition, previously known as Girls Go Cyber Start, is set to include a talent search sponsored by the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation and the SANS Institute; in addition, they will be giving away two million dollars in scholarships. The games started Sunday, November 15th, but there is still time to register and complete the online cyber challenges to qualify for the games and scholarships in Spring 2021.
Your students do not need any prior experience needed! Just an interest in puzzles, games, online games such as Fortnite, sudoku, Rubix cube, crossword puzzles, or chess, they would enjoy these free online cyber challenges! There is also no requirement of your teachers, counselors, or staff to be advisors like in previous years. However, if they would like additional educator resources, they can check out more free resources here. https://www.cyberstartamerica.org/teachers-advisors/
_____________________________________________________________________
Summer STEM Trainings
K-12 State-wide STEM Training Opportunities:
- K-12 State-wide STEM Leadership Training- 2 Days (Administrators Only)
- K-12 State-wide STEM Teacher Training- 3 Days (Teachers Only) TEA will be providing kits to teachers who attend. Maximum of 40 teachers in summer 2021 and 40 teachers summer 2022)
- STEMulating Design Challenges in Science, Grades K-5 - 2 Days (Books for K-2 and 3-5) Fee for the books
- STEMulating Design Challenges in Science, Grades 6-8 - 2 Days (Books for 6-8) Fee for the books
- STEMulating Design Challenges in Science, Grades 9-12 - 2 Days (Books provided by TEA) Limited seating
_____________________________________________________________________
Showcase your Campus/District STEM
_____________________________________________________________________
Texas EcosySTEM - Region 11
Newsletter Signup: From the dropdown, select TEXAS ECOSYSTEM!
Visit our Site: https://www.esc11.net/STEM
Vision: To provide quality solutions that build the capacity in STEM learning opportunities.
_____________________________________________________________________
Texas EcosySTEM Resources
The Texas Education Agency has developed tools to help districts engage with families through STEM Education programming and build awareness throughout the community by expanding learning beyond the classroom.
TEA STEM Toolkit
Planning Tools:
- STEM Model Identification Guide
- STEM Education Program Planning Guide
- STEM Leadership Roles and Responsibilities
- STEM Sustainability Tool
Implementation Tools:
_____________________________________________________________________
Contact Us! Region 11 STEM Lead - Cheryl Bowden
Each Education Service Center will provide free membership for districts to join the local STEM EcosySTEM.
EcosySTEM membership includes:
- Monthly STEM communication including information from the state and federal level
- Regional STEM goals developed by a local STEM Design Team and aligned to the local STEM labor market data
- Regular STEM ecosySTEM meetings to share local STEM opportunities and address local concerns
- All districts will have access to the free TEA STEM planning and implementation tools as well as family engagement tools
Email: cbowden@esc11.net
Website: https://www.esc11.net/Domain/1338
Location: 1451 South Cherry Lane, White Settlement, TX, USA
Phone: 817-740-7755
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/esc11science/?ref=bookmarks
Twitter: @ESC11Science