News

Iowa youth gain awareness and excitement for STEM through STEM Day at the Iowa State Fair, among other events and programs led by the STEM Council each year.

Letter from Executive Director

Dear Iowa STEM Community,

Students from the Linn-Mar Venture Academics, a STEM BEST Program, gain non-traditional, project-based learning experiences in job sectors that are in high demand.

Thirty-Seven School Districts to Join STEM BEST Community

Thirty-seven Iowa school districts will join or expand offerings in the STEM BEST® (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) Program to provide students with real workplace experiences. Since STEM BEST launched in 2014, 155 partnerships have been created or expanded to help introduce students to businesses and career opportunities in Iowa, while also gaining high-demand skills.

Students of No Boundaries Middle School (NOBOMS), a STEM BEST Program, assemble furniture for their room redesign.

STEM BEST = Work-Based Learning

Work-based learning is a phrase coined by the U.S. Department of Labor to label learning experiences for students in a workplace setting. The STEM BEST Program is one of many work-based learning, or what STEM leaders call career-linked learning, opportunities available through the STEM Council.

The STEM BEST + HD Program application opens October 3.

Students to Develop High-Demand Skills with STEM BEST + HD Program

The application period is quickly approaching for the STEM BEST + HD (High-Demand) Program. Beginning October 3, public and non-public K-12 school districts and school buildings can submit an application to launch or expand a business partnership model to provide students with career-linked learning experiences.

Students paired with community and business volunteers to work on real-world projects using their makerspace.

Twelve Schools Grow Workplace Experience through STEM BEST Program

The STEM BEST (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) Program of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council drives partnerships of K-12 schools and community employers.

The BEST STEMposium offered a collaborative professional development experience for STEM BEST Programs.

Forging Connections and Opportunities through BEST STEMposium

More than 70 educators, administrators and business partners of STEM BEST Programs across the state attended the first-ever BEST STEMposium, held at the University of Northern Iowa. The event fostered meaningful conversations with STEM BEST Program leaders to enhance career-linked learning in communities across Iowa.

New STEM BEST Opportunity to Expand Career-Linked Learning

Re-envisioning recyclable materials into usable products, developing entrepreneurial skills through student-run storefronts, taking on leadership roles at community and live events, simulating advanced manufacturing and healthcare experience through school business partnerships. These are a few of the many career-linked opportunities the STEM BEST Program is creating in Iowa.

Waterloo Schools Executive Director of Professional Education Jeff Frost provides a tour of the Waterloo Career Center.

38 Schools to Advance Career-Linked Learning through STEM BEST H.D. Recognition

Thirty-eight school districts throughout Iowa have been recognized as STEM BEST H.D. (High Demand) models of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. This is the highest number of schools to be named as STEM BEST models since the program’s launch in 2014. STEM BEST H.D.

Central Community School students take part in Clayton County STEM BEST Program.

STEM BEST Program Offers Network Supports

Career-Linked Learning (CLL) inspires passion in students to pursue high demand, high impact and high reward careers. Learning linked to fulfilling jobs through authentic experiences is what the STEM BEST Program provides more than 80 partners in Iowa schools.

Waukee APEX, a STEM BEST Program model, offers a human services sector that is designed to give students a hands-on experience.

STEM BEST Program to Emphasize High Demand Careers

The STEM Council is focusing a special round of the STEM BEST (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) Program to help prepare students to enter job sectors that are in high demand, made possible by legislated support funding through the Iowa Economic Development Authority.