California STEM Task Force Report Released

California's Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, has released the long-awaited STEM Task Force Report.  The Blueprint for STEM outlines recommendations in seven general areas to expand and improve STEM in California: 

• Public Awareness;
• Resources;
• Access;
• Framework;
• Professional Learning;
• Assessment and Accountability; and
• Availability of STEM Materials.

To view the SSPI's press release and a link to download the full report, visit:  CDE - STEM Task Force Report .

Local SkillsUSA Winners at National Competition

Congratulations to students from Palmdale High School's Falcon Academy of Sustainable Technologies which had three awards at the recent national SkillsUSA competition held in Kansas City:

• Team 1H, comprised of Oscar Guzman, Ricardo Guzman, and Blanca Zepeda, received the bronze medal for the Career Pathways - Industrial and Engineering Technology competition;
• Team C, comprised of Ny Gyra Lawson, Austin Nowlen, and Anurag Rai, received the silver medal for the Innovative Application and Video Game competition;
• Christopher McDonald received the bronze medal for the Sustainability Solutions competition.

Approximately 20 students from AVUHSD schools competed in the national event this year.

Free Summer Math Program for Students and Parents

TenMarks is making a free summer math program available for students and parents to help prevent "summer slide".  The program is personalized and based on a standards-based assessment.  For more information, visit TenMarks Summer Math Program .

"STEM 2.0: An Imperative for Our Future Workforce" Compendium Released

As a follow-up to its spring Town Hall meeting, the STEMConnector Innovation Task Force has recently released a compendium of articles from industry, non-profit, government and education experts regarding its STEM 2.0 initiative.  The new publication, available both in digital and print formats, outlines the career capability framework introduced at the Town Hall meeting; it also includes the four areas which will be the first to be supported, as well as the next steps needed to support the future STEM workforce.  For more information and a link to download the publication, visit STEMConnector Innovation Task Force Workforce Report .

Alcoa Foundation and Discovery Education Unveil "Manufacture Your Future" Website

According to STEMConnector [ STEMConnector Blog "Manufacture Your Future", the Alcoa Foundation and Discovery Education have partnered to unveil the "Manufacture Your Future" website to provide information and free resources for middle and high school students, teachers, counselors and others to explore current manufacturing careers.  The site includes lesson plans, virtual field trips, family discussion starters, and a career guide, among other items.  Visit the site at Manufacture Your Future .

Boeing Sponsors Five Military Dependent Students to Attend Tiger Woods STEM Camp

The Boeing High Desert Employees Community Fund has provided a generous donation to sponsor five middle school aged children of active-duty military families to attend the week-long Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim.  During the camp, students will have the opportunity to study STEM subjects such as video game design, robotics, kitchen chemistry, zoology, velocity racers, as well as golf and a visit to Disneyland, where they will learn how STEM applies to park operations.  Boeing High Desert Employees Community Fund Sponsors Military Kids in STEM .

Students Pose Suggestions for Better STEM Education

"Mashable" reports [ Mashable: 5 Suggestions for Better STEM Education ] that, during a Twitter chat at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in DC, youth advisors made several suggestions about how to improve STEM education and keep students more interested:

1. Allow students to solve real-world problems rather than perform rote memorization tasks in the classroom;
2. Provide students with the opportunity to do science research early and often;
3. Encourage peer-to-peer education and collaboration during STEM projects to "satisfy human curiosity;"
4. Fear "not trying" rather than failure, as valuable lessons are often learned from the latter;
5. Engage adult mentors to work with students on STEM projects.