STEM Next Opportunity Fund’s Post

🚨 A Major Milestone for STEM Education: National STEM Week Bill Introduced in Congress 🚨 We are proud to announce that the National STEM Week bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, thanks to the collaborative efforts of U.S. Representatives Mike Carey (R-OH) and Joyce Beatty (D-OH) and a coalition of leading STEM organizations, including STEM Next Opportunity Fund, COSI - Center of Science and Industry, EXPLR and over 20 leading STEM organizations. This bipartisan bill aims to establish an annual National STEM Week, emphasizing the importance of equitable access to quality STEM education for all students in the U.S., especially in underserved communities. Read the full release about this effort here: https://prn.to/3BbbJXD As a key partner in shaping this legislation over the past several months, STEM Next Opportunity Fund and our Executive Director, Ron Ottinger, have worked closely with COSI, EXPLR, and other national leaders to bring this vision for National STEM Week to life. Together, we are pushing for national recognition of STEM as a vital part of every child’s education. ✨ Why This Matters: STEM fields are the driving force behind innovation, economic competitiveness, and technological advancement. Yet, there are significant disparities in the availability of quality STEM education, particularly in rural, urban, and underserved areas. An annual National STEM Week will: ⭐ Promote STEM education and careers among all students regardless of their geographic or socio-economic status. ⭐ Encourage active participation from families, educational institutions, and industry leaders in STEM education. ⭐ Strengthen the integration of formal and informal STEM learning environments. 📅 Next Steps: This journey is just the beginning. As we continue our advocacy efforts in Washington and across the country, STEM Next will work to ensure that every child—regardless of background—has access to inspiring STEM learning experiences. Together, we can close the STEM participation gap, secure the United States’ position as a global leader in STEM fields, and build a stronger future for all. 👏 Join Us: Follow along as we share updates on the progress of the National STEM Week bill and other efforts to ensure that all students have the tools and opportunities they need to succeed in STEM. #NationalSTEMWeek #STEMEducation #STEMForAll #FutureLeaders #Innovation #STEMNext

STEM Next Opportunity Fund is excited to announce that applications for Verizon Academy are now open until October 1st. This special training is designed for up to 25 out-of-school-time program providers. Join us and learn how to bring Verizon's new learning journeys to life, engaging young people in building technical and social/emotional skills through hands-on experiential learning. Apply by Oct. 1. https://bit.ly/3zcFoPF #STEMEducation #AfterschoolSTEM

Insights on the Impact of STEM Afterschool Programs! An analysis by the PEAR Institute and IMMAP at Texas Tech University shows that participation in STEM afterschool programs significantly enhances students' attitudes toward STEM. Curious about the impact? 👉 Read the full report to learn more! https://bit.ly/4cMRRY0

  If you are in Ohio, we encourage you to register for this event, which will provide an excellent opportunity to shape the future of STEM education and career paths for girls in Ohio. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gyKNSYN9

🌟 Calling All Educators and Youth Advocates! 🌟 Join the Afterschool Alliance on August 28 at 2 p.m. ET for an inspiring webinar! This session is all about empowering youth through STEM and civic engagement, and it will feature top experts from Collective for Youth Empowerment in STEM & Society (CYESS), Earthforce, and the Teen Science Café Network to share their knowledge. Whether you’re looking to strengthen your current STEM programs or are eager to launch new initiatives, this webinar is packed with practical tools and fresh ideas to engage older youth in innovative ways. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and take your youth programs to the next level! 👉 Register Now https://bit.ly/4dnQGiW #STEMeducation #YouthEmpowerment #CivicEngagement #AfterschoolPrograms

Two of our sessions have been chosen for the SXSW 2025 PanelPicker! This is a unique chance for us to highlight the meaningful work we’re doing in STEM education. However, we need your support to ensure that these crucial conversations take place in Austin. You still have until August 18 to vote for these sessions: 1: Youth-Led STEM: A Seismic Shift in Education Featuring two of our inspiring Flight Crew members, this session will highlight how today’s young leaders are not just preparing for the future—they are reactively shaping it. From classrooms to communities, these youth innovators are breaking down barriers and revolutionizing STEM. You’ll hear firsthand how they are resolving real-world problems and changing the face of education. Meet four Young Powerhouses who are changing the game. Their stories will inspire educators, corporate leaders, and everyone to see the limitless possibilities in STEM education. Speakers: Isabella Green Green, Million Girls Moonshot Flight Crew Member, STEM Next Opportunity Fund Guadalupe Miranda, Million Girls Moonshot Flight Crew Representative, STEM Next Opportunity Fund Lino Marrero, National STEM Champion, EXPLR Media Sritej Padmanabhan, National STEM Champion, EXPLR Media #Vote: https://lnkd.in/gbr7HGcD Session 2: Perspectives on Working at Scale in K-12 STEAM Education Join an insightful discussion on how workforce development efforts are increasingly focusing on K-12 in and out-of-school time programs that ignite curiosity in STEAM. This panel of non-profit, commercial, and government leaders will share invaluable insights on building and scaling programs across the U.S. and beyond. Speakers Cheri Sterman, Director, Crayola Education Nick Monzi, Co-Founder and CEO, Learn Fresh Gamaliel Cherry, STEM Engagement Director, NASA Johnson Space Center  Ron Ottinger, Executive Director, STEM Next Opportunity Fund #Vote: https://lnkd.in/g8ijA5zx! #SXSW2025 #PanelPicker

This session's topics include building community and youth voices in design, engaging the entire STEM ecosystem, and supporting educators and stakeholders in implementation, along with lessons on evaluation and metrics. #SXSWEDU Vote! 👇

The SXSW 2025 #PanelPicker is open, and we need YOUR vote! Help us bring our session "Youth-Led STEM: a Seismic Shift in Education" featuring our Moonshot Flight Crew members and National STEM Challenge champions to Austin! Vote by Aug 18! 🌟 Forget "future of STEM" - young innovators are rocking the field NOW! They're solving real-world problems and shattering outdated ideas about who belongs in STEM. Meet 4 young powerhouses who are changing the game! 👉 Vote Here: https://lnkd.in/gbr7HGcD #SXSW2025 #STEMEducation EXPLR

Exciting Opportunity for Educators and Community Leaders! Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Data Detectives Clubs offer an engaging way for middle school students to dive into data activities and challenges inspired by the science adventure novel Pandemics! The novel follows two students who travel through time and space to learn about past and present epidemics. Each chapter is paired with hands-on activities, including exploring real-world disease data, a card game on disease transmission, and a vaccination simulation game. This project has successfully engaged over 1,000 youth in more than 60 clubs, showing a significant positive impact on all outcomes. Interested in hosting a Data Detectives Club this fall? Apply by filling out the form by August 15th: https://lnkd.in/g9Wj2Ey3 #STEMEducation #STEMOpportunity