Iowa’s STEM BEST® Program is basking in the national spotlight this spring for its pioneering work that is transforming the traditional learning environment.
Through the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council at the Iowa Department of Education, the STEM BEST® (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) Program connects STEM businesses and industry professionals with teachers and students local to their communities. The program not only exposes teachers and students to careers in their communities but allows students to experience potential careers first-hand by working side-by-side with community partners on real projects that keeps them engaged.
This innovative work is garnering national attention as part of the National Science Teaching Association’s (NSTA) National Conference and their NSTA TV Thought Leadership Film Series. The series is produced annually for the NSTA National Conference. This year’s event organizers aimed to feature leaders working to engage K-12 students in STEM learning that connects to industry experiences to strengthen the future STEM workforce, a mission exemplified in the STEM BEST® Program.
“Having the opportunity to highlight the work of this growing network of impassioned educators in Iowa is a true privilege,” said Tanya Hunt, program coordinator for Iowa’s STEM BEST® Program. “The STEM BEST culture is growing because there is genuine interest in showing our students that opportunities exist and can be created here while also affording them opportunities to explore their passions.”
The film, “Innovating for the BEST future in Iowa,” highlights the work being done by the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council at Boone Edge, Boone High School’s STEM BEST® Program model; No Boundaries Middles, Okoboji Middle School’s STEM BEST® Program model; and the STEM BEST® Program model at Storm Lake’s Early Elementary and High School. It debuted during NSTA’s National Conference in Philadelphia at the end of March.
“Attending the NSTA Conference in Philadelphia paved the way for more connections nationwide,” Hunt said. “Collaboration is truly what is at the heart of the STEM BEST Program. It was an invaluable opportunity to be able to connect with others, learn from them and tell our story in hopes we can benefit them as well.”
For more information on Iowa’s STEM BEST Program, visit the Department's website or contact Tanya Hunt at tanya.hunt@iowa.gov.