April 2015
 

Success at the Louisiana STEM Girls Collaborative's 

First Annual Collaboration Conference!

 

On March 28, 2015, the Louisiana STEM Girls Collaborative Project (LaSTEM) held what we hope will be its first of many collaboration conferences for the state entitled "STEAM Powered Collaborations for Girls: Celebrating the Successes" at the fantastic USGS National Wetlands Research Center in Lafayette, LA!

 

Responses from the  60 plus participants, including informal educators, K-12 educators, afterschool providers, school administrators, engineers, technical professionals, business partners, members of professional organizations, and university staff were overwhelmingly positive.

 

Successful collaboration conferences are held all over the U.S. in each of our 39 different Collaboratives, and Louisiana's was no exception. The LaSTEM Conference included a special speaker, Table Talks, a keynote speaker, and 3 breakout sessions.

 

Unique to our conference were Table Talks. These were informal small breakout groups (about 8-10 participants) designed to share program successes, best practices for collaborating and lessons learned, and ways to motivate, inspire and recruit girls and women into STEM opportunities through existing programs and events that currently exist throughout our state. The results of each Table Talk were compiled in a written format and shared with all conference participants to ensure everyone received information from each Table Talk and, if desired, could be used to follow up with the presenter for possible future partnerships and collaborations.

 

Of great interest were our Special Guest Speaker, Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Curt Eysink, and our Keynote Speaker, USGS Chief Scientist for Climate and Land Use Change Dr. Virginia Burket. Both were phenomenal. Mr. Eysink gave participants an updated view of the current state of STEM in Louisiana as well as our prospects and need for girls to enter STEM careers. Dr. Burkett shared her journey of perseverance in a field where few women initially existed, to today, where women are gaining greatly in the non-traditional, male-dominated fields of natural resources conservation, climate change research, and wetland science. She has personally championed and paved the way for policy changes that have allowed such growth and balance (although we have a ways to go for equity in pay).

 

Finally, we wrapped up the day with three Breakout Sessions featuring hands-on resources through SciGirls; how to facilitate volunteering with girls, including training resources; and finally, how to make STEM accessible to everyone-especially our girls with special needs.

 

The Collaboration Conference was a smashing success, and the Leadership Team and Champions Board for LaSTEM are grateful to all the participants, speakers, and volunteers that made it such a triumph.

 

~Lou Papai

Director of Education, Sci-Port: Louisiana's Science Center

Lead for the Louisiana STEM Girls Collaborative Project

 

  

 

 STEAM Powered Sharing

 LEGO Education Workshop

Hosted by LEGO� Education and Texarkana Arkansas School District

Date: June 26, 2015

Location: College Hill Middle School

Address: 1600 Forest St, Texarkana, AR 71854

 

Make sure to reserve your spot today!

 

Register Here!

 

How can you help shape tomorrow's creative problem solvers while still teaching core curriculum in an authentic, results-oriented way? How do we ensure today's students enter elementary classrooms filled with opportunities to practice 21st-century skills such as analytical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and problem solving? The Texarkana School District and LEGO� Education invite teachers and administration, to join us for an engaging, hands-on workshop focused on bringing 21st-century skills and core curriculum to life in the elementary classroom. Every participant will have a hands-on LEGO building experience and discover how hands-on learning can be integrated into multiple subject areas. 

 


Workshop Agenda:

8:30 a.m.-9:00 a.m. 

Welcome, Meet & Greet, Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. 

Hands-On StoryStarter Workshop 1

10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Hands-On WeDo Workshop 2

12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.

Lunch on your own

1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.

Hands-On MINDSTORMS EV3 Workshop 3

 3:00 p.m.-3:15 p.m.

Q&A and Wrap-Up 

 

 

 

Cost: Free 

 

Hands-On Workshop 1: Create Confident and Engaged Readers and Writers with LEGO� Education StoryStarter!

As an educator, you know how challenging it can be to get your students engaged and motivated to read and write. LEGO� Education recognizes the tough tasks that educator's face, which is why we are delighted to host this session on our first learning solution specifically developed to support Common Core English/Language Arts standards. StoryStarter is a hands-on LEGO Education tool with supporting teacher's guide and software that teaches students the basic mechanics of a well-composed story, providing them with a foundation to build and share their own stories by using LEGO bricks as their toolbox.

With StoryStarter, students are challenged to build storyboards; discuss plots; and write, present, and ultimately digitally publish their work. This results in learners who are highly engaged and intrinsically motivated to participate in language arts lessons. What's more, the easy integration into any reading or writing curriculum means that it's not just another resource but a supplement to enrich what is already being taught. During this session, attendees will experience StoryStarter firsthand and discover how this tool can be used to complement currently implemented reading programs.

Length: 1 hour 30 minutes

 

 

Hands-On Workshop 2: Multiple Subjects, One Platform. Tackle STEM Learning with LEGO� Education WeDo!

Few tools generate as much excitement in the classroom as those that enable students to take charge of their own learning. With LEGO� Education WeDo, you help your students become motivated, active learners who don't just know, they do! WeDo is a hands-on tool that combines the joy of LEGO building with easy-to-use technology and supports essential lessons in science, technology, engineering, math, and literacy. Designed specifically for elementary learners, WeDo engages all students, challenging them to create, test, observe, and explain projects while collaborating with others through building and programming working LEGO models.  

Length: 1 hour 30 minutes

 

 

Hands-On Workshop 3: LEGO� Education MINDSTORMS EV3: Robotics in the Middle School Classroom- Getting Started!

Robotics is a proven and effective way to capture students' attention and keep them engaged in hands-on science, technology, engineering and math lessons. This session is for educators just getting started with new LEGO� MINDSTORMS Education EV3 or considering how to incorporate MINDSTORMS into the classroom. Learn firsthand how LEGO Education MINDSTORMS EV3 can get your students excited as they model real-life mechanisms and solve real-world challenges, all while building the critical-thinking and creative problem-solving skills that will serve them well for a lifetime.


During this hands-on session, we will discuss MINDSTORMS EV3 across the curriculum and provide real-world examples and lesson plans. Come learn how the LEGO Education MINDSTORMS EV3 can create successful learners by enhancing the classroom experience.

Length: 2 hours


 
National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE)
Louisiana STEM Equity Pipeline™ (STEMEP)

The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE), with the support of the National Science Foundation, continues building the Louisiana STEM Equity Pipeline™ (STEMEP), bringing together state agencies, business and industry, and local schools to increase access, equity, and diversity for each and every Louisiana student.

During the past 6 months of training in the Program Improvement Process for Equity in STEM (PIPE-STEM™), a cohort of five LA schools and career and technical colleges have utilized the power of Data Dashboards to analyze institutional data, uncover participation gaps, and develop thoughtful hypotheses around access barriers in STEM. The cohort also advanced its STEM equity efforts through additional training and work to select implementation strategies as part of the action research process. The LA STEMEP state leadership team also met to continue progress on state level initiatives, and again in April during NAPE's annual Professional Development Institute. Visit the NAPE website to learn more about the STEM Equity Pipeline project and PIPE-STEM.

 

 

University of New Orleans GenCyber Program 

The University of New Orleans (UNO) is hosting the GenCyber Program from July 20-31, 2015. Funded by NSA/NSF, this two-week intensive training program in cybersecurity is free for invited participants. Teachers will leave with a complete set of instructional materials, including slides, lab exercises, and activities. Space is limited...if interested, apply as soon as possible!

 

Interested high school teachers can find more information, including the application form at:

 

http://www.cs.uno.edu/~golden/intensive-ia-training.html


KUDOS: New Orleans leads way in tech jobs for women!

When it comes to the number of women working in the tech sector, New Orleans is second in the country.

In the world of technology, women are still greatly outnumbered. In fact, breaking into the industry has proved especially difficult for web developers like Paulina Rodriguez.

"My background in applied mathematics was really counting against me," Rodriguez said. "It was really difficult to prove that I could do this kind of programming."

Rodriguez applied for over 50 jobs around Silicon Valley and was shocked when, almost immediately, she landed a job at the New Orleans-based online marketing company, Search Influence.

"It was nice to see that there was a lot of opportunities and people were open to interviewing," Rodriguez said. "It was kind of shocking."

Unfortunately, her story is not unique. According to U.S. Census data from 2013, women only made up 25 percent of the entire tech workforce.

In stark contrast, 68 percent of Search Influence's employees are women.

"It's not just that we have a lot of women working for us. Most of the managers in our organization are women," said Search Influence CEO Will Scott. "I can't say it's intentional. It just so happens we found a lot of phenomenally talented women who wanted to come work with us."

A new study done by Smartasset revealed New Orleans, as a whole, has more women working in the tech sector than every other city in the country but Washington D.C.

According to the survey, 36.5 percent of all the tech jobs in the Crescent City are filled by women as opposed to the 21 to 27 percent of women that make up the workforce in the Bay Area.

"To think we are number two in the nation for woman in technology, that's really outstanding," said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. "I think it begins to reinforce that Greater New Orleans is developing this niche for having diversity and innovation."

Hecht said New Orleans' tech sector is growing so fast there is a huge demand for talent, and he believes that is one of the biggest driving forces behind the trend.

However, what is even more encouraging is the study's figures when it comes to the pay gap between men and women in New Orleans tech sector.

"I was surprised to see that we are one of the best in the country in that the pay gap. Although it still exists, it's only 4 percent," Hecht said. "The national average is an incredible 15 percent."

It is just another reason why Hecht says New Orleans is becoming 'the place' for women in technology.

The survey ranked cities based on several factors, including labor participation, affordability, wage gap and growth over time. Overall, New Orleans ranked 7th in the country for top cities for women in technology to work.

 

Originally Published By Jaclyn Kelley / Eyewitness News10:47 p.m. CST March 2, 2015

 

The 5 Louisiana Robotics Teams Going to World Competition Are!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE TEAMS COMPETING 

IN THE LOUISIANA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!

 

These teams will be headed to Louisville, KY next month to compete with over 16,000 students from over 25 countries:

 

Carroll HS, Monroe (VEX)

Holy Cross School, New Orleans  (VEX)

Holy Cross School, New Orleans (VEX IQ)

St. Paul's School, Covington (VEX)

SciTech Academy, New Orleans (VEX IQ)

 

GOOD LUCK LOUISIANA!  Next year's VEX robotics game will be unveiled after World Competition in April.

 

Coastal Studies for Girls Summer 2015

Coastal Connection

Age: Rising 6th and 7th grade girls

Dates: July 6-10 and July 13-17, 2015
Tuition: $750

Coastal Connection provides 6th and 7th grade girls an opportunity for exploration along the Maine coast. During their 5 days at CSG, the girls will live together in our 1840s era farmhouse. Our days will be filled with adventures in the mud flats and among the rocky intertidal zone in our backyard, as well as paddles in the bay, day hikes in nearby state parks, and visits to several of the marine science facilities that pepper the Maine coast.

 

Expanding Coastal Connection
Age: Rising 7th and 8th grade girls OR girls who attended Summer 2014 Coastal Connection
Dates: July 20-24, 2015
Tuition: $750
Expanding Coastal Connection and Leadership is a program designed to engage 7th and 8th grade girls in a deep inquiry of leadership and marine science. During their time here they will prepare, execute and reflect upon both a leadership adventure and authentic marine research study. We will collect aquatic field data along the coast of Maine, all the while working with the program's essential question, "How do I lead?"

 

Women's Coastal Retreat
Dates: June 26-29, 2015
Tuition: $550

Over the years, countless women in their 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's have come to CSG and exclaimed, "This is WONDERFUL! When is there going to be something like this for me?" We're happy to share that the opportunity has finally arrived! If you are a woman who has a love for learning and discovery, a willingness to challenge yourself and an adventurous spirit, you will fit in beautifully here.

Educator Summer Programs
Dates: June 30, July 1 or July 2, 2015
Time: 9:00am-4:00pm
Cost: $95 per workshop

Mapping Place with ArcGIS June 30
Creating a Culture of Wellness July 1
Writing Landscape and Memoir July 2

 

Visit  http://www.coastalstudiesforgirls.org/ for more information and applications, and to learn more about Coastal Studies for Girls science and leadership semester school for 10th grade girls.

In far too many countries around the world, an education is not a given for girls. These TED Talks are from those facing great risk to change that.


In Talk 1 Pakistani educator Ziauddin Yousafzai reminds the world of a simple truth that many don't want to hear: Women and men deserve equal opportunities for education, autonomy, an independent identity. He tells stories from his own life and the life of his daughter, Malala, who was shot by the Taliban in 2012 simply for daring to go to school. "Why is my daughter so strong?" Yousafzai asks. "Because I didn't clip her wings."

About Us
The Louisiana STEM Girls Collaborative Project brings together organizations throughout the state of Louisiana that are committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
  • We're now on Twitter!  Follow the latest STEM information for Louisiana and beyond.  Search for @LaSTEMGCP
  • Add [email protected] to your contact lists!  This email will be forwarded to the Leadership Team members for the Collaborative.