 Iowa STEM is excited to announce the menu for the 2025-26 STEM Scale-Up Program!
The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council at the Iowa Department of Education has announced the selected programs for the 2025-26 Iowa STEM Scale-Up Program menu.
Iowa’s STEM Scale-Up Program provides educators and students throughout the state with access to exemplary STEM educational opportunities. These programs offer a diverse range of STEM activities to, on average, nearly 100,000 students each year, helping boost mathematics, science and reading abilities, encouraging resolve to pursue STEM careers upon completing studies and fostering the confidence needed to become lifelong learners and critical thinkers.
Thirteen programs were selected from a pool of 80 proposals from across the country for this menu based on the STEM Council’s strategic priorities, including STEM programming that integrates into existing curriculum with a focus on STEM careers; transdisciplinary (integrated) S-T-E-M; agricultural science; applied engineering; computational thinking; mathematics (especially applied); ecology & energy education; and STEM & arts integration. These priorities were selected to provide Iowa students with educational opportunities that emphasize the necessary skills needed for the future workforce. Students who participate in the STEM Scale-Up Program historically have an increased interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects and careers.
The following 13 programs were selected to be offered to PK-12 educators across Iowa, both in and out of school, for the 2025-26 academic year:
All About Balance (grades PK-3) All About Balance allows children to become more curious and engaged as they actively explore the role of balance within the world of objects and with their own bodies.
Barobo C-STEM Afterschool and Summer Robotics and Robotics-Math Programs (grades PK-12) The Barobo C-STEM program integrates coding and robotics into PK-12 mathematics education, using both virtual and hardware robots in a standards-aligned curriculum to enhance engagement and boost achievement.
CodeJoy Presents: Micro:bit in the Wild (grades 3-12) The program uses micro:bit to teach educators about Environmental Literacy through hands-on activities with computer science.
CodeXcursion: Teach Python Coding with CodeX (grades 4-12) The program provides opportunities for students to start with Python basics and progress to exciting projects like creating games and simulations.
Drone Designers: Exploring STEAM Careers (grades 4-8) The program takes a multidisciplinary approach to introducing learners in grades 4–8 to the world of drones and coding with an emphasis on their use in the arts and entertainment industries.
Getting Started with Elementary OpenSciEd Curriculum (grades K-5) OpenSciEd reimagines the experience of science education to ensure that all students, regardless of their previous exposure to science, can excel in and outside of the classroom.
Grow, Create, Innovate: The STEAM-Powered Art (grades K-8) This program allows students to engage in standards-aligned activities, such as the Reaction Game, which explores physics and chemistry through interactive play, and the Operation Game, which combines logic with mechanical design while DNA Modeling merges biology with creative visualization. Students can also build an Automata, which integrates engineering with artistic design.
MathNation.com (grades 6-12) The program offers comprehensive resources for middle and high school mathematics. Math Nation+ uses interactive videos, practice tools and personalized learning paths to engage students in deep mathematical understanding.
Overcoming Barriers to STEM Engagement: A Cross-Curricular Structural and Wind Energy Project Using Sketching as the First Step (grades 6-12) The program provides a hands-on project with wind energy technology that builds engagement with STEM. This project includes design of a scale tower to support a wind turbine with load and deflection testing.
Plant the Moon Challenge (grades PK-12) The Plant the Moon Challenge is a global science experiment, learning experience and inspirational project-based learning challenge. Students compete to see who can grow the best crops using lunar and Martian regolith stimulant.
Positive Physics, Chemistry, Physical Science, Biology, Environmental Science and Engineering (grades 6-12) This program provides an engaging, online lesson and problem bank for middle and high school science. The site was built by teachers in diverse classrooms and designed to be accessible to students on any level from middle school to advanced placement (AP).
Spintronics: Engineer and Design Mechanical Circuits (grades 3-8) Spintronics allows students to learn electronics through hands-on puzzles instead of complex mathematics. Instead of imagining invisible electrons running through wires, the students can see the chains moving through the sprockets.
STEAM Innovators K-8: Pathways for Future Leaders (grades K-8) SAM Labs' STEAM program was designed to make STEM concepts engaging by integrating the arts and blending creativity with science, technology, engineering and mathematics to foster innovation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
The STEM Scale-Up Program educator application period for the 2025-26 academic year will open Jan. 7, 2025, and close on March 3, 2025, at 4:59 p.m. Selected educator recipients will be announced in April.
In order to apply, educators will need an account established with the IowaGrants system. First-time users will need to set up an account in IowaGrants, which can take up to three business days for a new account to be activated. For additional instructions on starting and finding a funding opportunity, view the FAQs and tips to navigate the IowaGrants system or use the STEM Scale-Up Application Help Guide.
More information can be found on the STEM Scale-Up Program page.
 Applications to be a 2025 Iowa STEM Teacher Externship workplace host are open now. Priority is given to those who apply by March 1.
While Iowa is still in the midst of winter, we are busy preparing Iowa STEM Teacher Externships this summer.
Iowa STEM is currently accepting applications for both workplace hosts and teacher externs for the summer of 2025.
On the Iowa STEM Teacher Externships webpage, you can find interactive maps of both current and past externship opportunities. Note, however, that Iowa STEM Teacher Externships program coordinator Ann Gritzner encourages interested teachers to apply even if they do not see an established host in their area on the website map or an opportunity which seems like the right fit.
“We will try to find a placement for them if they do not see a host in their area or they are welcome to suggest a host that will give them the professional development experience they are looking for,” said Ann Gritzner, Iowa STEM Teacher Externships program coordinator with the Iowa STEM Central Operations team.
Behind the scenes, we continue to actively work with interested hosts (not yet represented on the website map) and recruiting local teachers with specific content areas or career interests.
Now entering its sixteenth year, the Iowa STEM Teacher Externships Program pairs Iowa teachers and local business and industry workplaces for up to six weeks during the summer. These externships benefit workplaces and educators alike.
Workplace hosts gain a skilled STEM teacher as a contributor to their workforce for the summer while building a partnership with area educators that can span into the school year and beyond, helping shape the local future workforce. Workplace hosts also get publicity through related program promotions, recognizing their commitment to STEM education and local economic development.
Teachers who participate in externships benefit from being exposed to real-world STEM applications that, in turn, will improve their lessons when they come back to the classroom, improving student experiences and career knowledge. An additional benefit is the school-business partnerships that are formed following the Externship. Teachers say they are better able to advise students about STEM job opportunities, use inquiry based instruction and supervise student research projects following an externship. STEM Teachers participating in the program earn a stipend of up to $5,000 (including two paid professional development days), as well as three graduate credits through the University of Northern Iowa’s Continuing Education program.
Another of the attributes of the Iowa STEM Teacher Externship Program is the amount of flexibility it affords both teachers and workplace hosts. To gain more information or to connect, go to the Iowa STEM Teacher Externships webpage or contact Program Coordinator Ann Gritzner at Gritzner@IowaSTEM.org.
 Applications to be a 2025 Iowa STEM Teacher Extern are open now. Priority is given to those who apply by March 1.
 Melanie Bloom, 2025 Iowa Teacher of the Year, poses in the new greenhouse funded in part by a STEM BESTⓇ Program award.
Agriculture educator and STEM BESTⓇ award recipient Melanie Bloom will serve as the Iowa Department of Education’s 2025 Teacher of the Year.
Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow made the announcement earlier this month during an assembly at Sioux Central Community School District in Sioux Rapids where Bloom teaches.
Sioux Central was awarded a STEM BESTⓇ award in 2023 and Bloom has been in charge of running the school’s model since. The award was used to construct an educational greenhouse which was finished this year. The modern facility is cultivating a better learning environment for both students and teachers at Sioux Central.
“Our students learn about maintaining, operating, conducting research, and managing production in a modern facility, which leads to great skills for careers in agriculture as well as other industries,” said Bloom.
Bloom is quick to point out how her role in agriculture education and STEM are one in the same.
“Agriculture IS STEM! Learning to think and solve problems is a critical skill necessary for agriculture careers,” said Bloom. “One of my favorite moments in teaching is seeing the proverbial light bulb go on as a student solves a problem or connects the dots to address a challenge: I think that is STEM problem-solving at the core.”
Before the STEM BESTⓇ award, teachers in the Sioux Central school district worked to bring STEM learning opportunities to students through various opportunities like starting the Sioux Central Science Fair, implementing a maker’s space for hands-on exploration, and even encouraging entrepreneurial experiences through a morning coffee cart, weekly restaurant event and Shark Tank-like competition.
The district has seen the benefit of having industry experts involved, something the STEM BESTⓇ program helps schools all across Iowa implement and expand on. Bloom makes a point to improve her lessons based on feedback from industry partners to curate more meaningful experiences for her students.
“A few years ago I heard a speaker suggest that today’s students are information-rich but experience-poor and that struck me,” said Bloom. “Interacting with experts, learning and practicing new skills, and visiting authentic sites allows students to gain more personal and meaningful experiences from which to draw in the future. Guest speakers introduce and reinforce course concepts while laboratory spaces like our greenhouse provide opportunities for practicing authentic work-based learning skills.”
While agriculture and STEM education are at the core of Bloom’s lessons, she makes a point to plant seeds encouraging students to explore multiple fields of interest and keep an open mind.
“Sometimes people see the STEM acronym and assume that most STEM careers require college and graduate degrees. I think there are a lot of opportunities in STEM that fit all students’ educational interests, entry-level to graduate degree,” said Bloom.
Over the course of her tenure as Teacher of the Year, while also working toward her PhD in agriculture education, Bloom is excited to shine a light on the importance agriculture plays in our daily lives and plans to use the unique platform to help encourage today’s students to be tomorrow’s teachers.
“We need our really great students to bring their enthusiasm to classrooms to inspire the next generation, and we need to support all of our great teachers who are already doing that.”
STEM-sights, the newest section of our monthly newsletter, is written by members of the Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council’s Youth Advisory Board. This is their space to share insight and ideas on STEM events and initiatives important to Iowa students, written by Iowa students. Check out what’s on their minds this month:
Are you passionate about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics? Science Olympiad offers a hands-on, team-based method to explore STEM fields while fostering creativity, collaboration, and competition. Science Olympiad is more than a competition; it’s a transformative experience that combines fun, learning, and teamwork. Participants gain hands-on experience in various STEM fields, develop critical thinking skills, and foster a love for discovery. The program’s collaborative nature also builds lasting friendships and prepares students for future academic and career endeavors.
Membership Requirements: Science Olympiad teams consist of five to 15 students and are open to both middle school (Division B) and high school (Division C) participants. Teams are typically formed at the start of the school year, but check with local organizers or the website for specific deadlines! Early registration closed on December 21st, however regular registration closes on January 24th, so you still have time!
Whether you’re a STEM enthusiast or simply a beginner, there’s a place for you on the team.
Competitions: Every Science Olympiad team begins its journey at the state competition, hosted annually by Iowa State University in April. The 2025 state tournament is set to be held Saturday, April 5. The competition features 24 diverse events that rotate yearly, ensuring fresh challenges in STEM fields like material science, tower-building, entomology, biology, and chemistry labs.
Events:
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Build Events: Construct devices ahead of time to showcase at the competition.
- Example: Bungee, Tower, Robot Tour, Helicopter
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Test Events: Written exams or lab-based tasks completed on-site.
- Example: Entomology, Fossils, Forensics, Astronomy, Codebusters
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Hybrid Events: A blend of tests, builds, and lab components.
- Example: Material Sciences, Chem Lab, Wind Power, Write it Do it
- Visit the Science Olympiad website to learn more about all the events.The stakes are high, as only the state champion advances to the national competition, making teamwork and preparation essential!
How to Start a Team: Starting a Science Olympiad team is exciting, but it needs some planning. Here are some quick steps and pointers!
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Funding: Ensure you have financial support. Materials for practice and competition—especially for events like electric vehicles and wind power—can add up. Consider fundraising or seeking sponsorships.
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Materials: Secure resources to build projects, perform experiments, and practice written events.
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Fees: Teams must pay a $75 membership fee to become officially recognized in addition to tournament registration fees.
So, what are you waiting for? Whether you’re solving complex problems in a chem lab or testing the limits of your engineering skills, Science Olympiad is your chance to shine in the world of STEM. Get together some friends,form a team and get ready to compete in one of the most exciting STEM programs Iowa has to offer!
Written by Ella Meyer, James Peng and Amy Tran, Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council’s Youth Advisory Board
Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council Iowa Department of Education 214 East Bartlett Hall University of Northern Iowa 515-335-1531 info@IowaSTEM.org
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