The 2024 STEM Educator Symposium presented by the Missouri AfterSchool Network (MASN) is March 28, from 9:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at Missouri S&T in Rolla.
MASN invites informal & formal educators to learn from regional & national field experts about ready to implement curriculum & resources.

This free opportunity to gain practical skills to enhance your program impact is offered in part from the generosity of the STEM Next Opportunity Fund. Missouri S&T Kummer Center for STEM Education has provided the STEM Symposium location.

Sessions are eligible for clock hours!

Schedule
Time	Content
8:30-9:15	Registration & visit with exhibitors
9:30-10:15	Welcome & Keynote Presentation by Joanne Manaster
10:30-11:45	Workshops: Manufacturing Academy, Empowering Student Success, Rock is Cool, Fun with Robots
12:00-1:00	Lunch is provided & visit with exhibitors
1:15-2:30	Workshops: Lego Beyblade Engineering, Sparking STEM Interest through Space, Basic 3D Design
2:45	Closing

Keynote Speaker: Joanne Manaster

“Using popular science books with K-12 youth.”

Joanne Manaster is a senior instructor for the School of Integrative Biology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, conducting courses for undergraduates in anatomy, genomics and the biology of dinosaurs, and for graduate students in the Online Master of Science Teaching Biology Program, instructing certified teachers on topics such as the human genome, evolution and medicine, and emerging infectious diseases. Joanne maintains a significant online profile, (@sciencegoddess on most of the social media sites) sharing her love of popular science book reading. Additionally, she is the co-host of the streaming program, Read Science! where she and her co-host speak with popular science book authors about their books and the importance of communicating science to the general public.
Joanne is the mother of four children, three earth scientists and one high school English teacher.

Session Details
Presenter	Content	Details
Laura Roth, Executive Director, FIRST in Missouri	Fun With Robots - FIRST Progression of Programs through PK-12	FIRST is the world's leading youth-serving nonprofit advancing STEM education. Come see what happens when STEM meets the fun and excitement of sports. Bring STEM inspiration, holistic skill building, and fun to your after-school learning environment with collaborative problem-solving. We will introduce FIRST ethos, our Brandeis University longitudinal study of participants, and our Core Values. Free resources, LEGO hands-on activities, and more!
Laura Roth, Executive Director, FIRST in Missouri
Colleen Abbott, Director of Afterschool Services, Eldon School District & Amanda Meek, STEM Consultant, Missouri AfterSchool Network	Missouri Manufacturing Academy: Middle School Career Exploration	Across the United States, 2.1 million manufacturing jobs are expected to be unfilled by 2030. The Missouri Manufacturing Academy: Middle School curriculum intentionally highlights defining characteristics of the manufacturing industry in Missouri in a way that generates career awareness and sparks interest in the field for middle school youth. The curriculum utilizes experiential learning, authentic learning, and relationships to expose youth to the field of manufacturing careers, particularly in Missouri. Workshop participants will hear how the Manufacturing Academy was piloted at the Eldon LEAP Afterschool program. Participants will also have an opportunity to experience one of the activities from the curriculum.
Jackie Marling, Career Pathways Regional Consultant, South Central RPDC & Michelene Carbol Career & SPED Improvement Consultant, EdPlus RPDC (St. Louis)	Empowering Student Success with STEAM Education and Career Planning through Missouri Connections/CareerTREK	The RPDC’s STEAM Lending Library is transforming classroom learning through hands-on resources and equipment. Discover how our classroom kits, packed with tools like Ozobots, Sphero Robots, Merge Cubes, Breakout EDU, Makey Makey and Lego sets are all designed for challenges, creativity, teamwork, problem-solving and developing skills. Additionally, learn how Missouri Connections/CareerTREK, a career development and planning program for all Missouri students, funded by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, plays a crucial role in preparing students for college and career readiness. Whether you are an educator, community organization or an afterschool program, this session will provide valuable insights into the benefits of using the STEAM Lending Library and Missouri Connections in guiding individuals towards successful career pathways. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore innovative teaching methods, career planning resources, and the overall impact of STEAM education on shaping the future workforce. Join us and be inspired to empower students for a brighter tomorrow.
Luella Fischer-Gregory, Owner, Barn Light Press and Founder, Mineral Education Foundation for Food + Farm Connections	Rock is Cool	The Missouri Limestone Association and Mineral Education Board are excited to share the story of mining with young minds! This hands-on workshop, focused on Elementary Science, will feature the new “Mining in Missouri” activity book and interactive STEM activities to accompany the resources.
Bella Mulligan - student & Roxanne Hanna - Associate Director, Kummer Center for STEM Education	Lego Beyblade Engineering Build-Off	Using the Engineering Design Process, teams will work together towards creating the newest toy. This hands-on activity will demonstrate how to engage students through a project based lesson that has a competition embedded within it. The mission: two popular toy companies are wanting to create a collaborative toy and have come to these teams to come up with the new product. Groups will take the “problem”, research the existing products, brainstorm, work within specific parameters, assign jobs, design, work within a budget, work within deadlines, develop a prototype, test the prototype, and determine if their design was successful all within this session. This take away lesson is a great way to show a real world example of why we teach the Engineer Design Process.
Robert Powell, Executive Director, Challenger Learning Center-St. Louis	Sparking STEM Interest through Space	Looking for resources and activities to use in your programs to teach your youth about the upcoming eclipse on April 8th? This session will include what you need to make this exciting event more meaningful for your youth. Participants will also learn about activities to use in your programs to teach youth about aerospace. Space can be used to help spark youth’s interest in STEM and expose them to a variety of different careers in the field.
Joey Bryan, MOREnet Technical Integration Specialist, University of Missouri	Basics of 3D Design and Printing	3D printing is being used across the curriculum to support learning. Typically, students are not allowed to interact with fragile objects like fossils and artifacts. 3D printing allows students to touch, hold and even take-home models. Students can design and print objects from their discussions and reading, as well as use 3D design to support research. We will look at beginning design using Tinkercad, a free online design program, and Blender, which adds elements of visual effects and motion graphics.

Thank you to our sponsors: