 For the safety of our exhibitors and partners, STEM Day at the Capitol and the Iowa STEM Teacher Award presentation were postponed earlier this month due to winter weather. Both events are rescheduled for Monday, March 3, 2025.
Because of this, the application deadline for educators applying for the STEM Scale-Up Program has been extended to March 4, 2025, at 4:59 p.m. to allow for timely response to any last minute questions.
 The Governor’s STEM Advisory Council at the Iowa Department of Education is awarding 29 Iowa school districts with STEM BEST® Program awards. This includes 15 new models and 14 returning STEM BEST® Program schools that are looking to expand or enhance their existing models.
The STEM BEST® (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) Program provides students with career-connected learning experiences. Students and teachers work closely with local workplaces and professionals to introduce and prepare learners for future success in their communities. By letting schools identify and anticipate local workforce needs in collaboration with business professionals, the STEM BEST® Program is able to strengthen Iowa’s future workforce through the development and expansion of project-based learning programs.
“STEM BEST® fosters growth in high-demand, career-ready skill sets by providing students real-world, hands-on opportunities created by business and education partnerships,” said STEM BEST® Program Coordinator Tanya Hunt. “These models are exposing students to exciting careers in manufacturing, bioscience, information technology, engineering and more, right in their hometowns.”
The 2025-26 STEM BEST® Program awardees are:
- North Central STEM Region
- Ames High School
- CAL Elementary School
- Forest City Community School District
- Gilbert High School
- Mason City High School
- Osage High School
- Roland-Story High School
- South Hamilton Elementary School
- Northeast STEM Region
- Western Dubuque Junior/Senior High School
- Central Community School District
- MFL MarMac Community School District
- Midland Middle/High School
- Northwest STEM Region
- Laurens-Marathon Community School District
- Sibley-Ocheyedan High School
- Storm Lake High School
- South Central STEM Region
- Centerville High School
- Central Campus, Des Moines Community School District
- Seymour Alternative High School
- Urbandale Community School District
- Walnut Creek High School, West Des Moines Community School District
- Southeast STEM Region
- Durant High School
- Iowa BIG, Cedar Rapids Community School District
- Metro High School, Cedar Rapids Community School District
- Prairie High School, College Community School District
- Xavier High School, Cedar Rapids
- Southwest STEM Region
- Harlan Community School District
- Logan-Magnolia High School
- Nodaway Valley Elementary School
- Riverside Community School District
Including the latest awardees, 139 models have been created or expanded since the STEM BEST® Program launched in 2014.
The STEM Council’s investment of up to $40,000 for each awardee can be used for curriculum development or integration into existing courses, facility upgrades or purchase of industry grade equipment, educator training and professional development or time for program planning with community partners.
To be considered for a STEM BEST® Program award, applicants were required to submit a proposal that incorporates rigorous and relevant STEM curriculum, includes valuable partnerships with community businesses or organizations, aligns with STEM goals, addresses sustainability of the model program and evaluates the program’s effectiveness. Submitted proposals were scored by trained review teams before being selected.
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Emily Thomas is in her second year teaching STEM, art and TAG (talented and gifted) at Mount Ayr Elementary School. As a new teacher, Thomas was looking for local opportunities to expand her STEM knowledge when she learned about the Iowa STEM Teacher Externships Program. Thomas applied and was placed with local workplace host Podium Ink as a 2024 Iowa STEM Teacher Extern.
During her Externship, Thomas gained hands-on experience creating custom apparel through screen printing, direct-to-film printing and embroidery printing in the printing workshop.
Iowa STEM Teacher Externs earn graduate credits by completing a project as part of their experience. Thomas developed a screen printing unit for her fourth grade students to deepen their understanding of local STEM careers and bridging the gap between career and classroom.
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“Elementary students have little to no exposure to graphic design platforms, such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, as well as large printing machinery. However, they are familiar with computer programming, problem-solving, collaborating and using their creativity on a regular basis in art and STEAM class,” Thomas said.
The newly implemented screen printing unit allows students to explore the basics of a career in graphic design while also working on skills like attention to detail, collaboration and problem-solving. With guidance from Thomas, students have to make choices on how much they choose to experiment and solve problems that arise while freely exploring the print making process.
“We got to use paint in a different way,” said Hartley, one of Thomas’ fourth grade students.
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Not only do educators gain real-world experience through their Teacher Externship experience, but they build connections with local workplaces that benefit their students through curriculum development and sharing of resources.
“Podium Ink generously donated new screens to my classroom, and students learned about screen-printing and how to overlap primary colors and organic shapes to create an abstract piece of artwork,” Thomas said.
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After completing the screen printing project in class, Thomas’ fourth grade students took a field trip to Podium Ink.
“It was important to include the field trip in my screen printing unit so students could see how it can be done professionally outside of school, " Thomas said. “They were introduced to new machinery and saw how computer programming could be used in many different ways.”
The exposure to future STEM careers local to them, even at a young age was another take away for Thomas’s students.
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“I can use technology in different ways, like making stuff on the computer and printing it,” said fourth grade student Rowan.
Thomas feels the program benefits teachers in any era of their teaching journey because of the connections it has allowed her to build.
“There’s always something new you can learn,” Thomas said. “Not only did I learn new skills from my experience at Podium Ink, but I also made new connections with people in the community I would’ve never met before.”
The Iowa STEM Teacher Externships program connects educators with businesses for six-week experiences during summer. Placements are underway for summer 2025 right now. Teachers and workplace hosts are invited to apply to participate.
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The State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa (SSTFI) has long been a platform for middle and high school students to showcase their scientific discoveries and engineering innovations. This year, Alexa Groff, Iowa 4-H STEM Education Specialist and the Director of the State Science & Technology Fair of Iowa, introduced an exciting expansion: the first-ever Junior State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa (JSSTFI)! Designed specifically for students in grades 3-5, this new initiative opens doors for younger learners to explore STEM in a competitive and engaging environment.
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Why the Junior SSTFI? The decision to create a junior division stemmed from a growing interest in STEM education at an early age. Alexa's high school science teacher background and involvement with STEM research had her wanting to be able to offer more hands-on opportunities for younger youth in order to get them excited for STEM. With Iowa 4-H's commitment to fostering curiosity and learning in STEM, it became clear that expanding the SSTFI to include a younger division was the next logical step.
“We know that an early start in STEM learning leads to long-term success,” said Alexa Groff, Director of SSTFI. “By providing a space for elementary students to engage in scientific inquiry and present their findings, we’re nurturing Iowa’s future innovators.”
The inaugural Junior SSTFI took place at four partnering museums across Iowa, giving students an opportunity to showcase their projects in an inspiring, hands-on learning environment. Each event provided students with museum access and educational outreach, making the experience both educational and enriching.
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"We had over 150 participants in four locations across Iowa," said Groff. The locations that participated are: The Science Center of Iowa in Des Moines, The Iowa Children's Museum in Coralville, The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque and The Sanford Museum and Planetarium in Cherokee.
For many students, participating in the Junior SSTFI was their first experience presenting research and engaging in STEM discussions.
“I love science so much, and I’m excited to show my experiment to judges. We don't get to do things like this at my school,” said one enthusiastic fourth grader preparing for the Fair.
Alexa is hopeful this opportunity will spark a lifelong passion for discovery.
By fostering curiosity at an early age, the Junior SSTFI is shaping the future of STEM in Iowa. Whether students dream of becoming engineers, scientists or innovators, this event provides an exciting first step in their journey. Alexa says she cannot wait to see what these young minds will accomplish!
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Visit the SSTFI website for more information on how to get involved.
State Science & Technology Fair of Iowa is an Iowa STEM Seal of Approval Program, as well as a former STEM Scale-Up Program.
 STEM-sights 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:
Written by Amy Tran, Ella Meyer, Ishika Desai, Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council’s Youth Advisory Board
Iowa’s young mathematicians are making waves in competitive mathematics through various contests. Whether competing solo or in teams, these students develop critical problem-solving skills while engaging in challenging and rewarding mathematical experiences.
Amy Tran, an Iowa STEM Youth Advisory Board member and a student in the Cedar Falls Community School District, has participated in mathematics competitions throughout high school. Her passion for mathematics led her to establish the Cedar Falls High School Math Club in 2023, creating a supportive environment for students to grow mathematically and compete together.
“These competitions help you learn how to answer questions quickly and creatively because there are always different ways to solve problems,” Amy shares. “You also get to have fun while collaborating with others to figure out solutions.”
Here’s a look at three major mathematics competitions available to Mathletes (Math-athletes) across the state.
Math League
Math League competitions offer a mix of individual and team-based problem-solving for students from 3rd grade to high school. These contests, typically lasting two to three hours, consist of three main rounds:
- Sprint Round: 40 minutes to complete 30 questions.
- Target Round: 24 questions in 24 minutes, divided into pairs with 6 minutes per pair.
- Team Round: 10 questions solved collaboratively by up to four students from the same school.
- Number Sense Round: Additional round for elementary school competitors.
Points are deducted for missed or skipped questions, making accuracy just as important as speed. Iowa’s Math League competitions culminate in the state-level event in Iowa City. Students can register for the Iowa state-level competition at mathleague.org.
MathCounts
Designed for 6th to 8th graders, MathCounts fosters teamwork and mathematical excellence. The competition series features four levels—school, chapter, state, and national—each with four rounds:
- Sprint Round: 40 minutes for 30 questions (no calculator).
- Target Round: 4 pairs of questions, 6 minutes per pair, focusing on reasoning and problem-solving.
- Team Round: 10 questions solved in 20 minutes using a calculator, with up to four students per team.
- Countdown Round: 45 seconds per question (no calculator), optional at school, chapter, and state levels.
This year, nine chapter competitions took place in February, leading up to the Iowa state finals on March 28, 2025, in Ankeny. State champions will move on to the national competition in Washington, D.C., on May 11-12. MathCounts has a nationwide participation of 30,000 students from 5,500 schools, with about 100,000 students engaging in its programs overall.
American Mathematics Competitions
The American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) are prestigious individual contests open to K-12 students worldwide, with over 300,000 participants from 50 states and 30 countries. The AMC exams are structured as follows:
- AMC 8: 25-question, 40-minute test for middle school students (grades 6-8), held in January.
- AMC 10: 25-question, 75-minute test for students in grade 10 or below, covering high school mathematics up to 10th grade, held in November.
- AMC 12: 25-question, 75-minute test for students in grade 12 or below, held in November.
Registration for the competition is closed for the 2024-25 school year, but interested students can visit the AMC webpage to gain information for the 2025-26 competition.
Students who excel in the AMC 10 or 12 can qualify for further competitions:
- American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) – An invitation-only test for top AMC scorers.
- USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO) & USA Junior Mathematical Olympiad (USAJMO) – Proof-based contests for elite problem solvers.
- Mathematics Olympiad Program (MOP) – Prepares top students for international competition.
- International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) – The world’s premier pre-college mathematics contest for national representatives.
With opportunities for students of all ages to sharpen their mathematical abilities, Iowa continues to foster a thriving community of mathletes. Whether through Math League, MathCounts, or the AMC series, these competitions empower students to embrace problem-solving, teamwork, and a love for mathematics.
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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