Deadline to Apply for AVUHSD Summer Gateway Academies

The deadline for incoming 7th and 8th graders to apply for one of the AVUHSD Summer Gateway Academy sessions at Lancaster High (17-21 June) or Knight High (29 July - 2 August) is fast approaching!  This free one-week day camp will highlight engineering, robotics, rocketry, clean tech, or other STEM projects for students.  Visit http://www.avrop.avhsd.org/Summer now to complete the on-line registration form (left/red column).  Contact instructors Bob Fenbers (Lancaster session - rfenbers@avhsd.org ) or Bill Lewis (Knight session - blewis@avhsd.org ) for further information or with questions.

Student Spaceflight Experiments - Deadline to Inquire 6/30/13

Once again, NASA and the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education are making available the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program on the International Space Station.  Individual schools (not classes) and districts for grades 5-12 may participate in the program utilizing microgravity experiments designed by students.  Inquiries about participation must be made by no later than 30 June 2013, and proposals, including community participation and funding being secured, must be completed by no later than 4 September 2013; the design process is scheduled to run from 9 September to November 2013.  Selection of projects to be included will take place in December 2013, and the ferry flight will be in Spring of 2014, with an expected return six weeks later.  There will be a national conference at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC in July of 2014.

For further information on the SSEP, please visit SSEP Homepage or call Dr. Jeff Goldstein at 301-395-0770. 

California Women in STEM Profiles plus STEM Innovation Conference

In a recent press release, it was announced that the California Dept. of Education, the California State Library, the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and the California Research Bureau are partnering to encourage more students, particularly underrrepresented groups such as students of color and young women, to enter the STEM fields.  As part of this initiative, the California State Library is hosting an on-line exhibit for "California Women in STEM", which profiles a different woman each week leading up to the "Invest in California STEM Education: Innovate, Integrate, and Inspire!" Conference planned for 18-19 November 2013 in Sacramento.  The conference, with best practices presentations and keynotes, is scheduled to feature Geena Davis, Sugata Mitra, and Jose Hernandez, among others.  Women in Science and Tech Industries Profiled News Release. 

Common Core K-8 Math Learning Progressions Webinar 5/23/13

The CDE and San Mateo County Office of Education are partnering to offer a professional learning module webinar on innovative use of the grade K-8 Common Core math learning progressions.  The webinar will be held at 3:30pm PDT on Thursday, 23 May 2013.

Attendee information: 

URL: https://cde.webex.com/cde/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=499200653

Event #: 499 200 653

Event Password: 70811

Teleconference Call -in: 1-650-479-3207

Access Code: 499 200 653

Applications for Airborne Research for Educators Academy Now Available

NASA is once again hosting the Airborne Research for Educators Academy 15-25 July 2013 at the Palmdale AERO Institute.  STEM teachers (US citizens) of students in grades 4-12 will participate in virtual, in-person, and self-directed courses relating to two NASA GlobalHawk earth science missions - Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) and Airborne Tropical Tropopause Experiment (ATTREX).  Participants will translate their instruction and experiences into a thematic STEM module and plan for use in their classrooms.  For more information and to apply (period open until session is filled, requires letter of recommendation and resume, in addition to registration form, plus phone interview if selected), visit http://aeroi.org/node/13 or contact Shaun Smith at shaun.smith@nasa.gov .

Examples of Technical Math Problems

The British Columbia Institute of Technology has posted a database of examples of applied technical math in a variety of career fields at  Applied Technical Math Problems .  The page is divided by career field and by math discipline.  The BCIT and Maple TA are launching the "Building Better Math" project, a subscription service for assignments and lessons involving applied technical math.

Marine Ecology Workshop for Teachers 6/23-6/25/13

MEEC, sponsored by the Boeing Corp.,  is offering sixteen scholarships for High Desert California (AV and Mojave/Riverside) teachers to attend a three-day, two-night marine ecology workshop on Catalina Island hosted by The Catalina Experience at White's Landing on 23-25 June 2013.  The rustic experience will include both classroom and field work using the scientific method focusing on marine biodiversity and environmental marine biology.  Scholarships include transportation to/from Catalina Island, all meals, lodging, curriculum materials, and a $50.00 transportation stipend. Scholarship recipients will be required to post a $45 refundable deposit, as well as bringing their own bedding and personal items for the bunkhouse cabin accommodations.    The deadline for applications is update: 10 June 2013; to download the application, go to http://www.meeconline.com/catalina-island-marine-ecology-teacher-workshop-scholarship/  .  For more information, contact Samantha Murray at smurray@mdaqmd.ca.gov  .

Solar Oven Cookoff Contest Registration Deadline Extended to 5/29/13

MEEC has extended the deadline to register for the Solar Oven Cook-off to 29 May 2013.  The competition, for students in grades 4-12 in the California High Desert service area, will be held from 9:00am to 4:30pm on 15 June 2013 at the Mojave AQMD offices in Victorville, and nearly $2,500 in prizes will be awarded to winners in various categories and age levels, including solar oven construction and recipes.  For more information and to download registration forms, visit http://www.meeconline.com/meecs-1st-annual-solar-oven-cook-off-competition/ or contact Samantha Murray at smurray@mdaqmd.ca.gov or Christie Robinson at christier@mdaqmd.ca.gov .

MEEC Clean Air Poster Contest Entries Due by 5/17/13

MEEC is sponsoring a "Clean Air" poster contest, with prizes of $100 and a new bike.  With a theme of "Bust the Dust," winners in age categories 4-7, 8-11, 12-18 will receive gift cards ranging from $15 to $100 plus a chance to win one of two bicycles.  Entries must be received by no later than 4:00pm on Friday, 17 May 2013.  For more information, visit Clean Air Month Poster Contest 2013 or call 760-245-1661 x 6104.

Busy STEM Weekend in the AV!

Saturday, 11 May 2013, saw several STEM-related events going simultaneously within the Antelope Valley.  Among them were the Tech Trek Awards held at the Palmdale School District Boardroom, where 35 seventh-grade young ladies received certificates acknowledging their scholarships to attend a one-week summer Tech Trek camp at either Whittier College, UC Irvine, or UC Santa Barbara sponsored by AAUW.  The keynote speaker for the morning was Taylor Lenton, QHHS grad and chemistry Ph.D. student at Cal Tech.

SOAR Prep student Elisa Washington receives Tech Trek scholarship certificate from Sylvia Weiss

 Also on Saturday, the AV Wind Turbine Challenge saw 10 teams from SOAR and 5 from Palmdale High Schools competing in this first annual event held at AV College.  The third place team (based on energy output tested in a wind tunnel, as well as innovation and other characteristics judged by Kriss Vanderhyde and Joel Beckmann) was the Hurricaneers, the second place team was named . . . First Place, and the first place team hailed from the FAST Academy at Palmdale High School;  winners received cash awards courtesy of TerraGen.

Hurricaneers -  3rd place

First Place -  2nd place

CCNC from FAST Academy - 1st place

Finally, the Agriculture and Environmental Science Academy at Littlerock High School hosted its annual "Ag and Environmental Science Expo" which featured events including soil testing, transplanting, recycling, and a petting zoo, among others.

LHS A&E Academy at Expo 2013