 Throughout the BEST STEMposium, attendees were able to celebrate successes, discuss challenges and brainstorm ideas together.
Earlier this month, STEM educators and administrators from across the state converged in central Iowa for the fourth annual BEST STEMposium. This event, held every June, allows K-12 STEM BEST Program models to network and explore new ideas to expand and enhance their programs.
The event rotates locations each year to showcase different programs and partnerships around the state.
“It’s great to collaborate, meet people and just exchange ideas and go back with a few nuggets that you’re going to implement,” said Jacquie Drey, STEM and computer science teacher at Storm Lake Community School District.
Several educators even gained a new perspective on how to involve their students in the process from the start.
“One of the breakouts was about project-based learning and that really hit home,” said Dakota Stormer, computer applications and STEAM teacher at Nodaway Valley Community School District. “The presenter was talking about how he had the kids make the ball fields and do the measuring and the angles. As we create an outdoor classroom space, I'm like, ‘That's a great idea. Let's have the kids do it!’”
|
On Tuesday, attendees took to Iowa State University’s Howe Hall in Ames to explore resources and opportunities in partnership with the Iowa Space Grant Consortium. Astronaut Clayton Anderson gave a keynote address to begin the morning and signed copies of his “So You Want to be an Astronaut” children’s book for attendees.
Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyer attended the gallery walk which allowed various STEM BEST Program models to showcase the work they are doing and share ideas with each other.
|
|
 |
“This event encompasses what the STEM BEST Program is all about,” said Tanya Hunt, STEM BEST Program coordinator. “It’s a collaborative effort to share ideas and experiences that develops a culture where educators leave inspired and energized with the hopes that they bring that spirit back to their classroom.”
This summer, the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council at the Iowa Department of Education is piloting an opportunity for STEM BEST Program models to extend work-based and career-connected learning opportunities for students. STEM BEST Explore is an extension of one of the Council’s signature programs, the STEM BEST® (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) Program.
The Osage Community School District is one of a dozen STEM BEST Program models to be awarded STEM BEST Explore pilot funding with a goal of expanding student knowledge of agriculture careers through an experience they call AGventure.
“It's very easy to get in the mindset of agriculture just being corn and soybeans while living in Iowa,” said Kara Theis, incoming senior and current FFA chapter president at Osage Community Schools.
Osage Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor Malayne Meyer, who helped organize and chaperone the trip, recognizes this mentality in her students.
“There is an importance for students to have a global perspective,” said Meyer. “This trip helped fill that need of students expanding their mind to different kinds and methods of agriculture along with careers that they might not have considered.”
 |
|
Osage Community School District partnered with the Texas Farm Bureau to collaborate with Texas farmers and agriculture businesses that were willing to show students their farming operations. In mid-June, 33 students and five chaperones, including Meyer, traveled via bus to Texas for five full days of agricultural learning. |
“We packed a lot of tours into the trip,” said Meyer. “This included a cattle and custom farming family operation, peanut farm, reining horse farm, wholesale nursery, u-pick berry farm, minor league baseball field turfgrass management, Texas A&M Agrilife Research Facility and a feed mill at a farmers co-op.”
|
While traveling, the group squeezed in even more learning opportunities with stops to tour the Kansas State College of Agriculture to learn about flour milling and a visit with students at Keller Independent School District at their Center for Advanced Learning near Dallas Fort Worth. On the way home, the group toured a mushroom farm in Oklahoma.
“The week was packed with tours and experiences,” said Theis. “Each tour had a unique purpose and experience that could not compare to another tour. I learned countless new things each day, and I am excited to share my knowledge with the rest of my FFA chapter.”
Theis appreciated the time business owners and workers took to show what they do each day and to really discuss their operations and lives with the Osage students.
|
|
 |
|
“With each and every operation, there were people inside that had a passion for what they were doing,” said Theis. “Each had their own strengths and weaknesses that they were not afraid to address.”
Meyer enjoyed seeing students interact and ask questions of the farmers and business owners that welcomed the group for tours.
|
|
 |
“Not only was their content knowledge growing related to STEM and careers, but their soft skills as well. Connections that are made on trips like this will have ripple effects for many years to come,” Meyer said.
The success of Osage’s AGventure shows the potential for future STEM BEST Explore summer experiences and helps to reiterate the importance of a summer career-connected opportunity for Iowa students.
“Summer was a great time for this event because the students were able to take five days out of their schedule without having to worry about making up homework or tests from missed school, instead they were able to fully participate and enjoy the experience,” Meyer said. “We truly would not have been able to make this trip possible without the STEM BEST Explore funding.”
 Anne Friederich, Emily Neal and Sean Singewald are science teachers in the Postville Community School District. All three are participating in the Iowa STEM Teacher Externships Program this summer.
The Iowa STEM Teacher Externships Program positions teachers in the workplace, side-by-side with industry professionals, to build relationships and bolster career knowledge that teachers take back to their classrooms and pass along to Iowa students. This year, a record 85 teacher externs are participating in the Externships Program. Three of these educators not only teach together in the Postville Community School District, but they make up the entirety of the science department at the school.
“Our science team is small, with just three teachers, so collectively, we work with all of the students in our buildings,” said Anne Friederich who teaches science for grades 7-8 at Postville. “Having all three of us involved in this professional development experience is an important message that tells stakeholders and our students that we are committed to keeping our teaching skills dynamic and strong.”
Friederich is an extern at Effigy Mounds National Monument. She is working with the Biological Technician team to assist field tasks such as removing invasive plants and identifying native prairie plants in addition to implementing a Junior Scientist Day.
Emily Neal teaches high school science, including physical science and chemistry, at Postville. This is Neal’s second summer externing with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources at the Decorah Fish Hatchery.
“There are a lot of different data gathering techniques used at the Hatchery, including sample sizing,” Neal said. “This year in my classroom, I referenced this experience quite a bit, and I worked with students on the importance of gathering averages to make data more accurate.”
This year, Neal is expanding upon the programming she created last summer by using a web-based scavenger hunt platform to create a series of outdoor interactive scavenger hunts with hopes of increasing visitor engagement with the Hatchery and surrounding natural areas.
Sean Singewald teaches biology, physics, anatomy and physiology at Postville. He is working with the Iowa DNR Wildlife Team at Sweet Marsh Wildlife Management Area for his summer Externship. He is participating in habitat improvement projects, creation of winter thermal cover, songbird capture and tracking, as well as goose banding and endangered species studies.
“Teaching and learning are two different processes. Being the learner again helps me be more conscious of the struggles students face when they are learning something new,” said Singewald. “It's a huge advantage to be able to give students concrete examples of how science is used and how they are benefitting from people who are using science in the real world. This helps with student engagement and buy-in.”
 |
 Join us for STEM Day at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday, August 17, 2025! This family-friendly event on the Grand Concourse provides opportunities to experience engaging, hands-on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) activities facilitated by organizations across the state and to learn about the many possibilities of how STEM touches our lives daily. After spending time on the Grand Concourse, take a seat at the MidAmerican Stage to enjoy stage performances throughout the day presented by Blank Park Zoo, Wartburg College, the Grout Museum and WOI-TV. Plus, enjoy a special appearance around noon on the Grand Concourse. Hope to see you at STEM Day at the Fair!
Mark your calendars for Friday, October 17, 2025 for our annual STEM Summit. This event brings together hundreds of Iowans from education, business and industry, nonprofits, trade organizations, elected officials and students to amplify the conversation about solutions for connecting education and the workforce. Informative breakout sessions and an engaging keynote speaker will lead the excitement alongside time to network and collaborate. You’ll leave with innovative ideas to bring back to your classroom and community to advance STEM education in Iowa.
Iowa STEM is pleased to announce the incoming class of Youth Ambassadors for 2025-2026!
|
Ritvik Agarwal
|
Rachel Besaw
|
Luke Boyle
|
|
Avery Bradley
|
Erin Chen
|
Ishika Desai
|
|
Eva George
|
Brayden Hunt
|
Shriya Joshi
|
|
Kalya Kothavale
|
Claire Lu
|
Harshita Mankotia
|
|
Tyler McGlasson
|
Sriya Munjuluri
|
James Peng
|
|
Avika Rastogi
|
Vienna Rossmanith
|
Isha Salokhe
|
|
Elise Smith
|
Max Vannorsdel
|
Elle Wernimont
|
|
Sarah Yao
|
Vivian Zhang
|
|
Additional congratulations to newly elected co-leads Ishika Desai and James Peng.
This group, formerly known as the Youth Advisory Board, is comprised of Iowa youth from middle school to college age who have a passion or interest in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. The group aims to provide a youth perspective to Iowa STEM and expand Iowa STEM’s reach to Iowa youth through community advocacy and engagement with Iowa STEM hosted events.
Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council
Iowa Department of Education
214 East Bartlett Hall
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0298
515-335-1531
info@IowaSTEM.org
|
