On March 18, 2023, the Region 12 Science Olympiad Tournament was hosted by the Regional Math and Science Center at Grand Valley State University. The 2023 Region 12 MSO tournament included 638 student competitors, from 52 teams and 40 different schools in the area. Students participated in events throughout the day that were centered around science, technology, engineering, and math. 

The day ended with an exciting awards ceremony where special guests, GVSU Provost Fatma Mili and Congresswoman Hillary Scholten, spoke to the students and helped award medals to teams.

This fun and educational day could not have been possible without our GVSU faculty, staff, and community members volunteering their time and expertise as event supervisors and exhibitors. Additionally, we would like to thank the over 200 GVSU faculty, staff, and undergraduate students who volunteered who helped make the event possible.

The Region 12 Tournament was sponsored by MiSTEM Network's Greater West Michigan along with Disher, Gentex, NDIA, Webb Chemical, and Haviland.  

CS Erickson hosted Ferry Elementary 4th graders at their Grand Haven headquarters on March 23, 2023,  for a morning of learning and innovation! It is CS Erickson's mission to support the community and provide the next generation with career exposure to opportunities within a cutting-edge and growing industry. 

CS Erickson is one of seven participating businesses in the Ferry/Voyager Neighborhood Connections program in which Ferry Elementary and Voyager School in Grand Haven formed partnerships with local businesses to enhance student learning and give back to the community.  Students combine their in-class learning with outings to businesses.  

Staff at the Chamber of Grand Haven, Spring Lake and Ferrysburg have recruited neighborhood businesses and paired each one with every grade level at Ferry/Voyager.  Students visit the businesses and the partner talks about how they use habits of mind (persistence, empathy, optimism, flexibility, resilience) in their work. 

Business Partners include: 

• City Farmer 
• CS Erickson 
• Grand Haven City Hall 
• Grand Haven Public Works 
• Harbor Transit 
• Lake Michigan Credit Union 
• Love in Action 

The first ever Tri-County Culturally Responsive Mathematics & STEM Showcase is happening June 2, 2023, at the Wayne County Community College Downtown Campus. 

This event will challenge students in grades 6 to 12 to examine real situations - in their school, community, or the world at large - identify how mathematics is present in the issue, and demonstrate how mathematics can be used to find a solution.

The purpose is for students to: 

• Develop new skills in mathematics 
• Reflect and strengthen their relationship with mathematics 
• Expand their intellect by using mathematics to analyze and critique real issues 
• Explore ways in which mathematics can be used to solve injustices or transform social imbalances 

Register Today! 

Teach Cyber is an initiative dedicated to developing, supporting, and stewarding excellent cybersecurity education at the secondary level. Their mission is to provide resources, training, and support to secondary school educators teaching cybersecurity.

Check out the K-12 Cybersecurity Resources page at Teach Cyber!  Categories of resources include:

• Curriculum & Curricular Resources
• Challenges & Competitions
• Clubs & Camps
• Cybersecurity Resources
• Careers & Conversations
• Games
• Digital Citizenship
• Certifications
• Conferences & Associations

Check out the High School Cybersecurity Curriculum Guidelines which enable educators to effectively plan properly sequenced activities introducing the broad field of cybersecurity. The Guidelines were designed by educators from high school and higher education, who collectively have vast experience teaching computer science and cybersecurity. The Guidelines have four levels: big ideas, enduring understandings, learning objectives, and essential knowledge statements.

The MiSTEM Network is sponsoring 200 scholarships for Math Recovery virtual professional learning sessions summer 2023 for cohorts of AVMR 1, AVMR 2, and AVMR Fractions!  

The Math Recovery professional learning series is designed to meaningfully connect students' knowledge, formative assessment pedagogy, understanding of students’ learning of early mathematics, and instructional moves. These workshops will equip educators with the ability to implement Math Recovery as a Tier 1 and Tier 2 system of support for K-5 learners. Educators will receive a FREE kit with assessment tools, frameworks, an instructional book, math manipulatives, and more!  

Please follow this link to a landing page that contains details of the various options to engage in this professional learning. There are links to the applications on the landing page. 

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact the Project Manager, Susan Riker at susan.riker@kresa.org. 

The workshop is free of charge, and participants will each receive a daily stipend of $200.  Additionally, they will receive MDE SCECHs for this professional learning opportunity.  

What to Expect: 

• Hands-on experience with design thinking, place-based learning, and Museum Mindset. 
• Expert facilitators from the Grand Rapids Public Museum School, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Valley State University, and the Grand Rapids Public Museum. 
• Inspiration, application, and motivation. 
• Time to develop your own projects and units with expert guidance from experienced practitioners. 
• Continued support throughout the upcoming school year. 

Key Details: 

• Dates: August 8, 9, and 10, 2023, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 
• Base Location: Grand Rapids Public Museum High School, 54 Jefferson Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (excursions to outdoors and offsite locations within walking distance)
• Audience: Middle and high school educators, administrators, community partners, and organizations that work with middle/high students
• Food: Breakfast, snacks, coffee, and lunch will be provided each day 

Apply for the 2023 Summer Workshop at the Museum School 
We encourage you to attend alongside a small team from your school community! Please submit a separate application for each participant. Applications are due Wednesday, May 31, 2023.  

Click for more information and to apply! 

By Van Andel Institute for Education  

Van Andel Institute for Education (VAI) has always been committed to fostering education both within and outside of the classroom. This means equipping teachers with effective tools that save them both time and energy, while also creating engaging learning experiences which foster student curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. To better meet these growing needs, VAI is once again inviting teachers to explore their comprehensive, project-based Afterschool and Summer School programs for grades K–8.   

• K–8 Project-Based Afterschool Program: Whether it’s running an afterschool club or providing wraparound services for students, it can be tough to find high-quality resources that any teacher can use to accelerate learning without requiring hours of prep time. VAI’s Project-based Afterschool Program offers project plans and supplies, as well as coaching for staff, to ensure teachers are comfortable and confident with the lessons.   
• K–8 Project-Based Summer School: Summer school is crucial to helping students address learning gaps and prepare for the upcoming school year. Project-Based Learning provides an authentic context for learning and motivating students and teachers alike. PBL allows teachers to tackle more content standards in a shorter amount of time. With highly engaging projects and customized professional development support, VAI can help teachers identify instructional gaps and deliver lessons that summer school students will find engaging and meaningful.   

For more information about VAI’s K–8 Project-Based Afterschool and Summer School Programs, please visit vaei.org.  

Celebrate Earth Day with EGLE!

Join the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Classroom on Thursday, April 20, 2023 from 1-2 p.m. to learn about some of Michigan’s water quality concerns and what young people are doing to address them in our Earth Day Student Webinar. Teachers are encouraged to share the webinar with their classes! 

Register Now: Taking Clean Water Action in YOUR Community 

Check out other opportunities from EGLE: 

• May 9 EnviroSchool: Clearing the Air around Air Quality Monitoring:
  4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. 
  Learn about air quality monitoring and air quality modeling as you explore the different types of air pollutants EGLE addresses in Michigan. Find out how students can collect and learn from air quality data in their own communities. 1.5 SCECHs available. 
•  Project Wet Workshop:
  This one-day workshop in Grand Rapids will train educators to incorporate nationally recognized Project WET (Water Education Today) activities into existing curriculum. Participants will engage in fun, hands-on indoor and outdoor learning activities appropriate for K-12 students and will receive both the Project WET 2.0 Curriculum Guide and Project WET’s Climate, Water, and Resilience guide completely free!
   Register here. 

Free Professional Development STEM Camp for Teachers

ASM Materials Camp®-Teachers is offering is a free, week-long, idea-generating workshop at the University of Michigan introducing teachers to methods that make math and core science principles more enticing and relevant to their middle and high school students. Materials topics are great motivators in any engineering, technology or science course as students learn concepts that are reflected in their everyday lives.  Teachers leave the camp able to engage students using simple, low-cost experiments that integrate into existing lesson plans. 

Dates: July 10 - 14, 2023 
Location: University of Michigan 

Participants are eligible to receive four (4) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and can opt for two (2) graduate level credits. 

For more information and to view the 2023 ASM Materials Camp®-Teachers Summer Schedule, click here. 

The STEAM-Powered Careers book collection consists of 10 FREE Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics-themed books to inspire first through third graders about the wide variety of groundbreaking and exciting STEAM careers that they can start exploring right now. Created in collaboration with scientists, staff and faculty from the University of Southern California (USC), the collection explores topics ranging from polar science to gastroenterology to nanotechnology and more. 

The books feature a trio of fun characters and their animal friends, with each title illustrating a day in the life of a working USC scientist, many of whom come from underrepresented communities in STEAM. Each book highlights the present and future of a unique field and offers resources and more information for classroom use. 

Agronomists have varied duties that require them to think critically to solve problems. First and foremost, agronomists experiment and plan studies to improve crop yields. They study a farm's crop production in order to discern the best ways to plant, harvest, and cultivate the plants, regardless of the climate. It is also important for agronomists to develop methods to control weeds and pests to keep crops disease-free. 

Agronomists often use mathematical and analytical skills in conducting their work and experimentation. Complex data and information that they develop must be worked into a serviceable format for public consumption. Agronomists relay their information in written form, making presentations and speeches as well as responding diplomatically to sensitive issues regarding their findings. Their ultimate goal is to work scientifically to produce the finest crops, on the most consistent basis that they can, in any situation. 

Stratigraphy is the examination of layers in the physical places of the Earth and is a geological method with the purpose of describing, classifying and analyzing geological layers (rocks) composition, age and relation in order to establish an interpretation and mapping of the Earths geological development. A stratigrapher examines layers in the soil or rock to determine how the land came to be and in what sequence.  

A stratigrapher has the following job responsibilities: 

• Conduct field work, including archaeological testing and excavation under the supervision of a supervisor 
• Excavate using trowels, shovels and other hand tools as appropriate and recognize artifacts, features and basic stratigraphy 
• Record relevant data for items excavated using infrared theodolite or other available tools 
• Analyze and interpret data using computer software and prepare maps, diagrams, charts or reports, using results of fieldwork or laboratory research 
• Communicate findings by writing research papers, participating in conferences or teaching geological science at the university level 

The 3M Young Scientist Challenge invites students to create an original solution to an existing problem for the chance to win a 3M mentorship and more.  To enter, students need to submit a 1-2 minute video in which they describe a new invention or solution that could solve or impact an everyday problem that directly affects them, their families, their communities, and/or the global population. 

Competition entries are accepted until April 27, 2023.
Click here for more information and to enter.

MACUL Grants are awarded to encourage and support members interested in implementing effective instructional uses of technology. Each project should focus on an instructional use of technology, which has the potential of being replicated in other educational settings. 

MACUL Grants will support up to $1000 in learning resources, materials or equipment for your classroom.  MACUL Grants serve to grow innovative learning models. Implementing the grant process in your classroom will innovate your teaching and your students learning. 

Important Eligibility Note: You may not apply if you have received a MACUL grant within the last two years. 

It is strongly recommended that you read the grant guidelines, review the grant rubric, and complete the MACUL Grant Worksheet prior to starting this application.  

Toshiba America Foundation (TAF) is offering grants for projects the use project-based learning to teach STEM. 

Applications for the TAF grant program are open now and are due May 1, 2023. Each year, TAF funds two rounds of grants for grades 6–12 for projects requesting more than $5,000 in funding. The second round has a deadline of November 1, 2023. TAF also offers quarterly grants for grades 6–12 for projects requesting up to $5,000, with due dates of March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1, 2023. There is also an annual program for grades K–5, with an October 1, 2023 due date. 

Complete details and a link to the application can be found on Toshiba America Foundation's grant page here. 

Thanks to the generous support of CSTA's partners, they are able to offer full scholarships for the CSTA 2023 Annual Conference on July 11-13, 2023!  

Applications are open to all CSTA members and will be accepted through April 28, 2023. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance status by the end of May.  

The Keynote speaker is Dr. Sepehr Vakil, Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences, School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern who will speak about "The 3 Tents of Computing Education and Implications for Equity." 

Apply by April 28, 2023! 

AISES (Advancing Indigenous People in STEM) offers scholarships to help students acquire skills and training that will help them meet the unique STEM needs of our communities.  

AISES student members have easy access to scholarships for American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Indigenous peoples of Canada through the Online Application and Scholarship Information System (OASIS) site. Each AISES Scholarship has its own eligibility requirements regarding GPA, majors, and academic status. A minimum for all scholarships require AISES membership, which is free for students, and Tribal membership. 

Click here to apply for AISES Scholarships. 

Scholarships are available for high school seniors planning to attend college or university in the Fall of 2023. Junior Achievement has a variety of scholarships ranging from $500 to $2000 which can be used at any college or university. To be considered for a scholarship, students must: 

• Participate in a JA program during their K- 12 school career or have taught one or more JA programs within the Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes service area. 
• Have a 2.75 or greater grade point average. 
• Make certain all parts of the application have been completed and submitted on time 

Questions may be directed to Laura Lutterbeck at the JA office at (616) 575-9080 x7723 or by email at Laura.lutterbeck@ja.org.  

The completed application must be postmarked or emailed to the JA office no later than Friday, April 28, 2023.   

To download the application, click here. 

Looking for fun ways to engage in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) with your family? Visit the STEAM Along the Lakeshore event in Muskegon and enjoy some family fun.  Kindergarten through 12th grade students and their families are welcome!  

The event is Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is FREE! 

Hands-on activities with community partners will be in Hackley Park, Hackley Public Library, Lakeshore Fab Lab, Lakeshore Museum Center, and the Muskegon Museum of Art. The first 750 students will receive free a STEAM kit and a t-shirt at Hackley Park. 

Organizers include the Hackley Public Library, Lakeshore Fab Lab, Lakeshore Museum Center, MiSTEM Network's Greater West Michigan Region, Muskegon Community College, Muskegon Museum of Art, and GVSU's Regional Math and Science Center.  

Looking for volunteer opportunities? The STEAM Along the Lakeshore team is looking for volunteers to help with this event. You can sign up to be a STEAM Along the Lakeshore volunteer HERE. 

Don’t forget to check out Muskegon's Farmers Market Career AG-xploration's FREE event where you can explore careers in Agribusiness. Learn about food grown and processed in West Michigan, meet farmers and food processors, see food processing equipment in action, be a Career AG-xplorer and receive a prize at the end! 

The Career Ag-xploration event is on Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Muskegon Farmer's Market, located at 242 W. Western Ave, Muskegon, MI 49440. 

Coming to a city near you, girls in grades 5-12 are invited to join Camp Infinity and discover the exciting world of technology! This series of weeklong sessions will introduce the girls to computer and internet technologies through hands-on activities. 

Each week of fun is held on Mondays-Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in various locations throughout the state. The girls will create websites with HTML/CSS, program Ozobot Evo and/or Finch 2.0 robots, and learn game design using Epic Games Unreal Engine. Our expert instructors will guide the students through a range of engaging activities that will spark their imagination and creativity. 

Don't miss this amazing opportunity – share the link with your favorite tech student! 

Learn more about the registration details, camp dates and locations below. 

Learn More and Find Your Camp Location Here 

GRow1000 Academy: 
During the spring and summer of 2023, GRow1000 Academy will again take place funded in part by Bank of America! This employment experience is curated with the 18 to 24-year-old population in mind. These young people will enhance their employability skills, (re)discover gifts and talents, and build upon their ability to make meaningful decisions.  

Participants will work a total of 16 weeks, 20 hours per week and make $17 per hour. Work experiences will be curated to ensure exposure to all aspects of participating business/org. -- creating pathways to future careers.  

More information and the application can be found at GRow1000 Academy (grandrapidsmi.gov). 

Ginger Rohwer
Regional Director
(616) 331-2272
rohwergi@gvsu.edu

Diane Miller
Business, Community, and Education Liaison
(616) 331-2265
milledia@gvsu.edu

www.gvsu.edu/mistem

Services provided through a MiSTEM grant awarded by the Michigan Department of Education.

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