JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Sept. 1, 2017 — The Northeast Florida Regional STEM² Hub is launching a new web design program for high school students in Putnam County, funded by a recent grant from AT&T Aspire.

WHEN:             Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

WHERE:           Q.I. Roberts Junior-Senior High School

901 State Road 100

Florahome, FL 32140

 

Web Design Krewe will teach students at Q.I. Roberts how to design and launch a website for a small business or nonprofit, emphasizing skills such as communication, coding, and website development to build a talent pipeline for the future workforce. Students will participate in a series of competitions or “Milestone Meetups” throughout the year, and then present their work in the spring.

“Our goal with STEM after-school programs is to expose K-12 students to STEM concepts, technologies, and processes that embolden and excite them about their potential if they choose to pursue a STEM career,” said Robert Copeland, executive director of the STEM² Hub. “This partnership with the Putnam County School District will help us reach even more students with the message that STEM skills are vital to their future, and open their eyes to the wealth of opportunities in these fields.”

“This partnership with the STEM² Hub and IJHANA provides our students with a rich, experiential opportunity that will help them master the challenges of higher education and the workforce in the 21st century,” said Mary Wood-Piazza, Q.I. Roberts’ principal.

“As an entrepreneur and business strategist, I know firsthand how important it is to create a pipeline of students who are knowledgeable and experienced in areas like product and process design and digital strategy. Through Web Design Krewe, we fully expect students to acquire these important skills and visualize themselves using them to become the business leaders of tomorrow,” said James Higbe, a partner at IJHANA.

About the Northeast Florida Regional STEM² Hub

The Northeast Florida Regional STEM² Hub represents an investment initially made by 15 companies headquartered in the region. The mission is to convene, inspire, and invest in the STEM² field by providing the essential missing elements to accelerate the growth of STEM² education and careers in the 7 North Florida counties of Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns. For a list of the current corporate board members and more information about the STEM² Hub in Northeast Florida, visit our website at stem2hub.org.

PALATKA, Fla. Aug. 25, 2017 — The Putnam County School District has been selected to receive a 21st Century Community Learning Center Program grant, valued at $3.3 million over the next five years, which will expand opportunities for academic enrichment outside of school hours at no cost to families of students at seven Putnam County schools.

“Competition for this particular grant has become more competitive than ever, so we are exceptionally proud to share the good news that through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Putnam County families will have new and affordable opportunities for academically enriching afterschool activities. This is one more way we can work together to set our students on course for successful futures,” said Putnam County Schools superintendent Rick Surrency.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the program helps students meet state and local student standards in core academic subjects, such as reading and math. They are designed to offer students a broad array of enrichment activities that can complement their regular academic programs.

The programs will be offered to students at the following schools, Monday through Thursday:

Palatka, Interlachen, and Crescent City High School, 3:45—6:15

Robert H. Jenkins, Jr. and George C. Miller Middle School, 4:00—6:30

Moseley and Interlachen Elementary School, 2:40—5:10

Bus service will be provided home at the end of the day. Applications are available at participating schools or online at putnamschools.org, and a start date for the program will be announced soon.

The program will be offered in collaboration with PCSD STEAM, a school, community, and business alliance to equip Putnam County students with 21st century skills. Activities such as chess, public service leadership training, coding, environmental science, robotics, aviation, and arts will be available. The Northeast Florida STEM2 Hub will support a new Bicycle Club, teaching students the engineering design process through project-based learning experiences where students break down and reassemble a bicycle, solving problems and discovering math and science principles at work.

“The 21st Century Community Learning Center programs are an ideal platform for rich STEM learning opportunities, as we inspire students to appreciate the many ways math and science can be applied in the world around us. We are excited to partner with the Putnam County School District and reach as many students as possible with the message that STEM learning is vital to their future success,” said Robert Copeland, executive director for the STEM2 Hub.

About the Northeast Florida STEM2 Hub

The Northeast Florida STEM2 Hub represents an investment by 15 companies headquartered in Jacksonville to convene, inspire, and invest in the STEM2 field by providing the essential missing elements to accelerate the growth of STEM2 education and careers in Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns counties. For a list of corporate board members and more information about the STEM2 field in Northeast Florida, visit our website at stem2hub.org.

 

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Aug. 25, 2017 — Renaissance JaxTM, Northeast Florida’s FIRST LEGO League competitive robotics affiliate, will host a kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 2 introducing coaches, teachers, parents, and students to the “HYDRODYNAMICS” and “AQUA ADVENTURE” themes presented by FIRST LEGO League and FIRST LEGO League Jr. for the 2017-2018 competition. The event will be held at Jacksonville University, the Official Education Partner of Renaissance Jax.

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 2

10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – FREE and Open to the Public

WHERE: Jacksonville University

Larry Strom Amphitheater (located on the riverfront)

2800 University Blvd. N

Jacksonville, FL 32211

Representatives from Renaissance Jax and the Northeast Florida STEM2 Hub will be available for interviews about the importance of robotics in STEM education and careers. Local students from ages six to 16 participating in the robotics leagues will learn more about the new Robot Game mat, mission models, and scoring. This year’s global themes highlight the importance of water as a natural resource, and students will be asked to problem-solve using their robotics skills for how societies should find, transport, use, or dispose of it. Read FIRST’s national announcement for the 2017-2018 season.

“Renaissance Jax is excited to continue its work with FIRST in Northeast Florida and is thankful to the local partners like the STEM2 Hub, Duval County Public Schools, and Jacksonville University that provide support to the effort,” shared Mark McCombs, the Executive Director of Renaissance Jax. “We have spent the entire off-season preparing to give the kids an experience that will ignite their passion for learning and we cannot wait to get started.”

“Robotics plays a vital role in educational STEM programming for students, and Renaissance Jax has truly championed the expansion of these opportunities in Northeast Florida,” said Robert Copeland, executive director for the Northeast Florida STEM2 Hub. “There’s no substitute for programs like FIRST Lego League to open students’ eyes to new possibilities for their future, and we are so pleased to partner with Renaissance Jax for another year of rewarding, exciting STEM learning.”

“The partnership between Jacksonville University and Renaissance Jax provides an impactful opportunity for Northeast Florida students. We’re creating unique experiences that offer participants in FIRST Robotics a holistic, lifelong connection to their creativity, robotics, and STEM as a whole. We’re proud to be the Official Education Partner of Renaissance Jax and will continue to be at the forefront of enhanced STEM offerings to students K through 12, and beyond,” said Clayton Levins, the community relations coordinator for Jacksonville University.

About Renaissance Jax, Inc.

Renaissance Jax is a non-profit organization dedicated to invigorating technology culture in Jacksonville, Florida. As an official Lego League Affiliate Partner for FIRST, we help Jacksonville-area kids and teenagers explore their love for engineering and technology in a fun, educational environment that promotes academic and career achievement.

About the Northeast Florida STEM2 Hub

The Northeast Florida STEM2 Hub represents an investment made by 15 companies headquartered in Jacksonville to convene, inspire, and invest in the STEM2 field by providing the essential missing elements to accelerate the growth of STEM2 education and careers in Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns counties. For a list of corporate board members and more information about the STEM2 field in Northeast Florida, visit our website at stem2hub.org.

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Aug. 24, 2017 — Leaders of the STEM Learning Ecosystems Initiative have announced that Kathleen Schofield, the director of K-12 programs for the Northeast Florida STEM2 Hub, has been selected as a member of the inaugural LEAD STEM cohort.

LEAD STEM is a new and unique leadership development experience that will empower and arm individuals with skills to shape the future of STEM education in measurable ways across the country. As one of 20 fellows in the initial national cohort, she will be trained on policy, fundraising, relationship building, and leadership development by recognized and respected experts in a variety of fields and industries. Upon completion of the year-long professional development program, she will be positioned as the knowledge source and authority in advancing how STEM is defined in the United States, and how education and access is provided to all.

As one of 56 STEM Learning Ecosystems across the country, the Northeast Florida STEM2 Hub encompasses schools, community settings such as after-school and summer programs, science centers and museums, and informal experiences at home and in a variety of environments that together constitute a rich array of learning opportunities for young people.

“STEM Learning Ecosystem leadership requires a variety of skills and dispositions. Effective Ecosystem leaders are not only innovative critical thinkers and excellent communicators; they have a deep understanding of and ability to change systems, and they lead through mobilizing a variety of partners,” said Gerald Solomon, the executive director of the Samueli Foundation and co-founder of STEM Learning Ecosystems.

“Every participant in LEAD STEM will experience a relevant development opportunity that results in personal and professional growth, addresses key challenges within their local STEM Learning Ecosystems, and engages them in a national network of leaders who are actively working to successfully connect STEM education with the workforce needs in our country,” said Jan Morrison, president of Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM, and a founding partner.

“Kathleen Schofield is a leader in advancing the STEM agenda for Northeast Florida. Our community is fortunate to have someone with her expertise. Congratulations to Kathleen on her selection to LEAD STEM,” said STEM2 Hub board chair Gary Chartrand.

Schofield holds a master’s degree in education with an emphasis on technology integration in math and science, and a certificate in educational leadership. She is currently a doctoral candidate researching the impact of administrative leadership on teacher quality in elementary mathematics instruction. She has served as an adjunct professor at the University of North Florida, teaching Math Methods for Elementary Teachers, served on state and national committees, including the Florida DOE Standards Alignment Study, Mathematics Item Review and Standards Setting, PARCC Educator Leader Cadre, and serves on accreditation teams across the nation for district systems accreditation and STEM school accreditations.

Prior to joining the STEM2 Hub, Schofield served as the STEM Supervisor for the Clay County School District, serving over 36,000 students in 41 schools. In this capacity, she developed a nationally recognized STEM program, in which 97 percent of all schools in the district have a robotics program. Kathleen has written and been awarded over $14 million in competitive grants, and served as project director, implementing multiple successful STEM programs yielding strong learning gains for both teachers and students. In 2016, she was recognized with the Jacksonville Business Journal’s Innovators in Education Award for her successful pursuit of U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) funding to improve outcomes for military-connected students in Clay County.

Schofield is a national consultant in lesson study with a focus on shifting instruction in mathematics classrooms towards an inquiry-based, collaborative setting by embracing the standards for mathematical practices, and uncovering student misconceptions in math and science.

Led by director Angela Baber, Schofield and her cohort fellows will convene at their first meeting in Kansas City, Missouri in October. Through the fellowship, Schofield will be working on a local capstone project that will determine and address a specific STEM-related need in northeast Florida, and communities will benefit from the collective expertise of a network of dynamic STEM leaders committed to moving the needle.

About the Northeast Florida STEM2 Hub

The Northeast Florida STEM2 Hub represents an investment by 15 companies headquartered in Jacksonville to convene, inspire, and invest in the STEM2 field by providing the essential missing elements to accelerate the growth of STEM2 education and careers in Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns counties. For a list of corporate board members and more information about the STEM2 field in Northeast Florida, visit our website at stem2hub.org.

About the STEM Learning Ecosystems Initiative

The STEM Learning Ecosystems Initiative cultivates and supports more than 50 local Ecosystems working to improve access to high-quality STEM learning for all students. Launched in September 2015 by the STEM Funders Network, the Initiative empowers communities to bring together unlikely local partners and create systemic change to ensure more students, particularly underserved and underrepresented students, develop the STEM knowledge and skills they need to learn and thrive in today’s world. Visit http://stemecosystems.org/ or @STEMEcosystems.

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Aug. 8, 2017 — Since 1995, AT&T and the AT&T Foundation have given nearly $87 million to support STEM initiatives supporting a wide range of programs including robotics, STEM summer camps, and technology initiatives. AT&T is committed to assuring that all youth, especially those seen as at-risk youth are given every opportunity to engage with the technology-rich world of the future. AT&T is committed to systematic improvement in K-12 education, and to helping educators blaze an innovative trail leading to a robust pipeline of STEM-ready high school graduates. Some of that work will now take place here in the greater Jacksonville, Florida area, in conjunction with the Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub.

The Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub has been awarded $40,000 to implement three programs over the next school year in the seven-county region of Nassau, Duval, Clay, St. Johns, Baker, Putnam, and Flagler. Two of the programs, a STEM Bicycle Club and a 3D Printing Club, are being modeled after a successful program implemented by the Greater Cincinnati STEM initiative. The staff of the Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub learned about these programs through their affiliation with the STEM Learning Ecosystem Initiative, a national community of practice led by the STEM Funders Network and supported by the Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM (TIES).

“We are committed to full participation in our national community of practice and to bringing the best ideas to Jacksonville so that we can positively impact economic development by seeding a robust STEM-ready pipeline,” said Kathleen Schofield, Program Director. In both programs, STEM skills and the engineering design process are modeled through project-based learning experiences where students break down and reassemble a bicycle, solving problems and discovering math and science principles at work. The 3D printing club provides students with the opportunity to explore the future through innovative technologies that are revolutionizing the world we live in. Students will conceive, design, and create solutions through the use of 3D printing resources.

The third program to be implemented is called the Web Design Krewe. This innovative, new program has been developed in collaboration with IJHANA, a Jacksonville-based firm committed to advancing business strategy through digital transformation and advanced analytics. The Web Krewes will learn the full realization cycle associated with meeting a business need with emphasis on website development, will design and launch a website for an ultra small business or nonprofit, and will participate in robust competitions. The program has the potential to scale nationally, building a talent pipeline to meet critical needs in the areas of communication, coding, and website development.

“The Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub was established to convene, inspire, and invest in the STEM2 field by providing the critical missing elements to accelerate the growth of STEM2 education and careers, and this generous support from AT&T will launch three new programs in our area,” according to Robert Copeland, Executive Director. He continued, “we are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with AT&T, and to support them in their national commitment to STEM education.”

AT&T’s giving has demonstrated their ongoing commitment to STEM education and the STEM field. AT&T has developed many programs and partnerships that are focused on increasing the number of STEM-ready high school graduates in the pipeline. Through these efforts with the Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub, AT&T continues its long tradition of inspiring and empowering young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T

AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. AT&T Aspire is AT&T’s signature philanthropic initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding, technology, employee volunteerism, and mentoring. Through Aspire, we’ve passed the $250 million mark on our plan to invest $350 million in education from 2008-2017.

About the Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub

The Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub represents an investment by 15 companies headquartered in Jacksonville to convene, inspire, and invest in the STEM2 field by providing the essential missing elements to accelerate the growth of STEM2 education and careers in Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns counties. For a list of corporate board members and more information about the STEM2 field in Northeast Florida, visit our website at stem2hub.org.