September 2012

 Building the Capacity of STEM Practitioners to Develop a Diverse Workforce
     

National Girls Collaborative Project Tenth Anniversary!

In September of 2002, NGCP leadership received an exciting e-mail from the National Science Foundation announcing our first funding award.  We began serving educators in the Pacific Northwest providing networking and professional development opportunities, developed the Program Directory, and saw the power of collaboration when programs received small amounts of seed funding to leverage resources.  Ten years later, 3000 programs in 38 states are working together to provide more opportunities for girls to engage in STEM activities. The NGCP's collaborative model is transforming the way practitioners and educators work to advance girls participation in STEM. More than 6 million girls are served by programs participating in the NGCP network.

Join us as we celebrate collaboration by highlighting exemplary practices, programs and resources.  We are celebrating every day next week, September 17-22, with daily special editions of the NGCP e-newsletter, online video chats, social media like-a-thons, and more! 

Together, we can create a Collaboration Nation. Use the hashtag #celebrateNGCP as we highlight the power of Collaboration.

NGCP Updates  

SciGirls Season 2 Full-STEM ahead!
Starting in October, ten new episodes will showcase bright, curious, real girls using science, technology, engineering, and math in their everyday lives. They design an underwater robot, engineer a "chill" ice-cream-making bike, apply real forensic methods to solving a mysterious crime, and more! In Season Two, there's even more of the unique combination of TV and web that won the series a Daytime Emmy for "New Approaches" in its premiere season. Each episode of the TV show features onscreen clues that lead girls to a "mash-up" game on the website, where they can create their own, unique SciGirls stories. Plus, in other new interactive games, kids can search for underwater treasure, care for a colony of honey bees, and design wildlife dioramas.  Every girl can be a SciGirl!

http://pbskids.org/scigirls

Get Your STEM Learning Program Noticed by Major Funders and Foundations
STEMworks is the latest initiative in Change the Equation's effort to mobilize the business community to improve the quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning in the United States. The STEMworks database was developed to help business leaders and other funders identify and support programs that boost STEM interest and learning. Any STEM learning program that serves PK-12 students and teachers, in or out of school, may apply for inclusion in the database. Open solicitation includes three deadlines. Programs can apply early to respond to feedback and reapply, if necessary. Apply: http://changetheequation.org/improving-philanthropy/stemworks

• Apply by September 15, 2012, for inclusion by November 1, 2012.
• Apply by October 15, 2012, for inclusion by December 1, 2012.
• Apply by November 15, 2012, for inclusion by January 15, 2013.

NGCP Extended Webinar Session: Increasing Program Impact: Best Practices in Collaboration
September 19, 2012, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM Pacific

Are you interested in providing more effective program services? Have you faced barriers in identifying collaboration opportunities? The National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) has been designed to encourage collaboration between girl-serving STEM organizations and higher education, community-based organizations, corporations, professional organizations, and groups interested in increasing the number of girls and women in STEM fields. NGCP uses a number of strategic activities to encourage collaboration among girl-serving STEM projects and programs.

This webinar will examine the key elements of effective collaboration by providing lessons learned from NGCP partners, including an opportunity to see collaboration in action by hearing from successful collaborative projects. Karen Peterson, Principal Investigator for the National Girls Collaborative Project, will lead this professional development opportunity.

Participants are encouraged to attend with other program staff, potential partners, and to participate in the webinar with a group. Opportunities for planning collaborative projects and practicing collaborative strategies will be provided.

Register: http://www.ngcproject.org/ngcp-extended-webinar-session-increasing-program-impact-best-practices-collaboration

 Collaborative News and Events  

GRITS Collaborative Project Forum
Murfreesboro, TN
September 22, 2012, 8:00 AM-3:00 PM Central
Parents, teachers, guidance counselors and those who support girls in STEM education are invited to attend the Girls Raised in Tennessee Science (GRITS) Forum at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) Expanding Your Horizons (EYH). GRITS Leadership Team members will introduce the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) model and participants will learn about the Program Directory, mini-grants, and other available resources. A panel discussion composed of administrators from Columbia State Community College and MTSU will answer questions on how to prepare young women for higher education.
Register: http://www.ngcproject.org/event/grits-collaborative-project-forum-mtsu-eyh-0

CalGirlS Kick-Off Conference
Berkeley, CA
November 1, 2012, 10:00 AM-3:30 PM Pacific
Connect, communicate, and collaborate California style at the CalGirlS Kick-Off conference as we launch our statewide initiative to increase girls' involvement in STEM. Participants will learn to collaborate, how to implement effective role modeling, gain access to mini-grants that help fund collaboration with other partners, and network, share promising practices, and resources. Program managers, guidance counselors, business partners, technical professionals, K-12 teachers, parents, representatives from professional organizations, and higher education are invited.
Register: http://www.ngcproject.org/event/calgirls-kick-conference 

NMGC Kick-Off & NM Celebration of Women in Computing
Las Cruces, NM
November 8, 2012, 10:00 AM - November 9, 2012, 3:00 PM Mountain
The New Mexico Girls Collaborative (NMGC) Kick-Off Conference and the New Mexico (NM) Celebration of Women in Computing will bring together students, faculty, business leaders, informal and formal K-12 educators, and technology experts from across NM and neighboring states to discuss the role of women in today's computing and STEM fields, share experiences and strategies for success, and explore issues common to women working in these fields. The goal is to provide an opportunity for women to explore opportunities in computing, to network with other groups from academia, industry, and government, and to create friendships among women and men in the region who share the same interest and passion for computing and STEM.

Register: http://www.ngcproject.org/nmgc-kickoff-nm-celebration-women-computing

 Exemplary Practice Spotlight

The Exemplary Practice Spotlight for September focuses on engaging and supporting youth with disabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). People with disabilities are underrepresented in STEM careers and encouraging youth with disabilities to pursue and ensuring they are fully included in challenging STEM courses and activities can help reverse this trend.

The Alliance for Students with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (AccessSTEM), has identified critical junctures on the pathway to STEM careers for youth with disabilities and project inputs that can support youth in reaching these junctures. AccessSTEM provides guidance for educators, parents, and other advocates to help students reach these critical junctures, including: 

• Providing mentor and family support;
• Promoting the use of technology;
• Engaging students in activities designed to develop self-determination and STEM interests; and
• Offering internships, research experiences, and/or other work-based learning opportunities.

Examples of projects that incorporate these practices include: Evergreen Elementary: A Promising Practice in Empowering Students through Assistive Technology; Robotics track at youth slam: A promising practice in engaging students with visual impairments; and Palouse Discovery Science Center: A Promising Practice in Science Learning for Everyone.

The AccessSTEM website includes additional promising practices for increasing participating of individuals with disabilities in STEM fields as well as other resources for engaging and supporting youth with disabilities in STEM.

Baltimore, MD
October 3-7, 2012
This year's theme "Are We There Yet?" will focus on making an impact in both technical and social domains. The Grace Hopper Celebration is designed to bring the research and career interests of women in computing to the forefront.
Register: http://gracehopper.org/2012
 
Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) 2012 Conference
Columbus, OH
October 13-16, 2012
The ASTC is an organization of science centers and museums dedicated to furthering public engagement with science among increasingly diverse audiences. This year's conference features more than 100 sessions on a range of topics including: education, development and fundraising, equity and diversity, and outreach.
Register: http://conference.astc.org

Lights On Afterschool
October 18, 2012
Lights On Afterschool is a project of the Afterschool Alliance, is a nationwide celebration of afterschool programs designed to draw attention to the reality that high-quality afterschool and summer learning programs are crucial to children, youth, families, and communities. Visit the Lights On Afterschool website to register an event, access event planning tools, or find out what is going on in your area on October 18th. Those who register receive free posters and their events will be promoted to media and the public.
Register: http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/loa.cfm 

Annual Conference for Women Engineers: WE12
Houston, TX
November 8-10, 2012
Organized by the Society of Women Engineers, the WE12 conference is for experienced professionals and collegians just starting their careers. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in professional development sessions, network with other engineering professionals and students, and attend a career fair featuring more than 200 companies, government agencies, and universities.
Register: http://we12.swe.org

Adaptive Technologies Special Collection 

The Adaptive Technologies Special Collection on Teachers Domain brings together media resources from MEDAL QUEST and the award-winning PBS series created to get kids excited about engineering and the design process, DESIGN SQUAD. Use these standards-based resources to help students explore how science, technology, engineering, and math support athletes with physical disabilities as they compete at elite levels.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/special/adptech12

Afterschool Data: Tip Sheets on What Cities Need to Know

A new set of free data tip sheets from The Wallace Foundation shows the ways that data can assist in everything from determining where programs are needed to how to make them better. Designed for city agencies, afterschool program providers, intermediary organizations, and parents; these guides zero in on data use for four tasks key to more effective afterschool: evaluating program quality, ensuring programs are accountable to funders, mapping program supply and demand, and supporting advocacy.

NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing 

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) is seeking applications from young women (grades 9-12) for the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing. Awardees are selected for their computing and IT aptitude, leadership ability, academic history, and plans for post-secondary education. National award winners will receive cash and prizes. Many states have local affiliates that also offer awards and recognitions. NGCP Collaboratives help conduct outreach to girls as well as educators that support girls' aspirations in computing. Applications will be accepted online September 15 through October 31, 2012.
Apply: http://ww2.ncwit.org/award/award.apply.html

SciGirls CONNECT Partnership Program: Call for Applications    
SciGirls is a key NGCP partner and is looking for organizations with a commitment to gender-equitable STEM programming for girls ages 8-13. Selected organizations will receive a full day of training, support via monthly webinars, and access to the SciGirls CONNECT online community. For questions contact Adine at [email protected]. Application deadline is September 14, 2012. 
Apply: http://scigirlsconnect.org

The EdLab Group is a private, non-profit center with funding from federal and state governments, private foundations, corporations, and individuals. Our mission is to leverage the power of technology and diversity to transform teaching and learning.