Planet vs. plastics. This year’s Earth Day theme provides many opportunities to take action for a healthier planet. Earth Day is a worldwide campaign that began over 50 years ago. This year, Earth Day is April 22, 2024. We want to go big for Earth Day 2024. Going beyond random acts of conservation on Earth Day, let’s encourage youth to see a brighter future and find a lasting passion for working for the good of the environment. Here are four ideas to spark their interest and create a lifelong love for STEM, an appreciation that they can make a difference, and a pathway to meaningful studies an ..read more

Let’s do better than provide kids with random STEM programs. With less structure and more time for self-directed engagement, summer is the perfect time to encourage children’s interests, confidence, and creativity. Summer affords time for the budding astronomer to stay up late and observe the constellations, for the young scientist to explore nature, and for the tech enthusiast to take on a community problem. STEM Next Opportunity Fund wants every child to have a summer of STEM. Therefore we propose the 2024 Summer STEM Challenge to inspire and empower the next generation of scientists, engine ..read more

The Riley Institute of Furman University features a profile of Dr. Sheronda Witter, STEM Next Fellow serving as the out-of-school time advisor in the Office of the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Witter was a White-Riley-Peterson Policy Fellow in 2018-2019. Read More The Riley Institute advances social and economic progress in South Carolina and beyond by building leadership for a diverse society, broadening student and community perspectives on critical issues, hosting expert speakers, supporting public education, and creating knowledge through community solutions-focused r ..read more

On any given day in 2018, you could walk into my science classroom and see my students doing the following: competitively measuring the growth of their soybean plants, self-assuredly identifying the macroinvertebrates in the river behind the school, “accidentally” landing their rockets on the school roof, earnestly searching for tardigrades under the microscope, and building trebuchets to launch ping pong balls down the hallway.  Rest assured; this was not chaos: this was encouraged best practice. The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) had told science teachers that kids learn s ..read more

Ever wonder what engineers, doctors, and tech gurus do in their free time? In 2021, STEM Next and the Teen Science Café Network joined together to expand the answer to questions like that for students across the country.  With the support of afterschool educators, teens lead the execution of Teen Science Cafés with STEM experts of greatest student interest. From scientists to medical experts, these STEM presenters give youth insight into their day-to-day professional activities through demonstrations or hands-on experiences.  “Teen Science Café absolutely influenced my decision to pu ..read more

Use it or lose it. We all know what that means, but do we know what it actually takes when there’s a clock ticking, many competing needs, and fears of funding cliffs? As the new year kicks off, it’s more urgent than ever to focus on that enduring adage–use or lose–when it comes to the billions of American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds left to be obligated by the looming date of September 30, 2024, unless a state requests and is granted an extension. More information about deadline requests can be found in a recent K-12 Dive brief. Fortunately ..read more

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Ann S. Bowers. Ann passed away peacefully early Wednesday, January 24th, 2024 leaving a legacy of inspiration and generosity.  Dr. Penny Noyce, Chair of the STEM Next Opportunity Board, said, “It’s with great sadness that we announce the passing of our friend and co-founder of the Noyce Foundation, Ann Bowers. Ann and I started the Noyce Foundation in honor of my father and her husband, to help young people become ‘curious, thoughtful, and engaged learners.’ Ann believed in the potential and possibilities that exist within each of us and w ..read more

A reflection on the National Indian Education Convention and Trade Show by leaders of the Indigenous STEM in Afterschool Project  Imagine walking into a convention packed with people buzzing with excitement about education and culture, surrounded by ribbon skirts and an energy you cannot put into words. That’s what it felt like at the National Indian Education Convention and Trade Show. It was an event beyond bringing passionate individuals together. It was a community, determined to lift education to the highest standard for Indigenous youth.    The convention was a balanc ..read more

Motivated by our ambitious focus to inspire 20 million more young people with STEM opportunities by 2027, we are sharing twenty reasons (in no particular order) why we love STEM learning outside the classroom. 1. Boost Content Mastery. Consistent participation in afterschool programs, especially those offering academic support, improves a young person’s educational achievement. “Afterschool and summer STEM opportunities increase students’ comfort level with science, technology, engineering, and math and, therefore, their likelihood of success in related courses.” – Isabella, 2023 Million Girls ..read more

It’s a New Year and a great time to celebrate the power of role models and mentors. STEM role models help strengthen important outcomes for kids, including increased positive attitudes about STEM, increased positive STEM identities, and increased STEM career knowledge. In fact, role models and mentors are a key pillar of STEM Next’s success with the Million Girls Moonshot, which has reached almost 3 million youth across the country in just three years. In celebration of National Mentoring Month, STEM Next offers six ideas for adults to advocate, connect, and uplift young pe ..read more