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See what our past participants have to say about their CLASP experience.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The expectation is that you will be live at all sessions and an active member of the coaching cohort.
CLASP STEM Core 2025
We are pleased to offer a fourth year of CLASP STEM Core, the original format. We are recruiting for new members and plan to have a number of second, third and fourth year participants adding further depth and insight to the experience of this year’s cohort.
If you are interested in applying to join us in our 2025 year-long STEM learning community aimed at building your confidence and effectiveness in sharing STEM learning opportunities with the young people in your out-of-school time program while expanding your professional network, then this may be the opportunity for you!
First meeting: February 7th
One Friday a Month, JAN – MAY
Like a challenge and want some support to bring a new opportunity to your program? Would you like to give someone who wants a chance to participate in events like the Technovation Challenge or the CT Lt. Governor’s Computing Challenge, then please come learn about this opportunity!
We are building a professional learning community for those who are brave enough to tackle bringing a coding program to their OST. Our goal is to connect you with resources around the state and beyond that can support you and your youth in making coding meaningful and accessible.
Tailored Professional Development
Tailored professional development to meet your specific goals. One-time trainings or a customizable series.
- Understand and Meet the Developmental Needs of Students
- Improve Systems and Structures to Support Student Mental Health and Wellbeing • Build Belonging
- Increase Youth Voice and Decision-Making
- Help Youth Develop Resilience
- Support Educator Wellbeing
Contact PEAR for groups over 50 and whole school/program pricing.
www.pearinc.org
contact@pearinc.org
781-226-1586
ACRES Coaches Corner – The ACRES project is thrilled to usher in an exciting new chapter. Starting in mid-March, we’ll be offering all of our STEM coaching materials for FREE—giving leaders like you the tools and resources to keep reflecting on the STEM lessons offered at your sites and within your programs.
Check out ACRES Coaches Career Corner launching March 9th! ACRES and its team of coaches have already made a lasting impact, with educators across 50 states embracing these tools and strategies. We’re proud to pass the baton to you, capable site directors, professional development specialists, and network leads. We know you will continue supporting the ripple effect of this STEM facilitation work. The modules, the handouts, and extensive videos are now yours to use, at your own pace. The ACRES team is available to provide support as you carry the work forward. Please reach out to acres@mmsa.org if you have questions or join us at one of our Zoom sessions where we will give you a tour of what is available. Here’s the form to sign up for upcoming info sessions about the free ACRES resources.
Featured Opportunities
Ongoing and time-sensitive opportunities this quarter to engage in STEM learning.
The 2025 Flight Crew Application is Open
Applications due by March 12, 2025!
The Flight Crew is a highly visible youth ambassador program led by STEM Next Opportunity Fund, elevating youth from every state who can speak about the power of STEM learning outside of school. ALL youth ages 13-18 are encouraged to apply!
This toolkit will help you recruit youth to advocate for OST STEM in your state!
Data Detectives Clubs
Become a Data Detectives Club host and bring real-world science adventures to your students! Funded by the National Science Foundation, this engaging program uses the novel PANDEMICS! to teach middle schoolers about disease outbreaks, real-world data analysis, and the power of vaccines—all through hands-on activities and challenges.
Apply by March 14 – For more details, email Jacob Sagrans.
STEM Learning Journeys Powered by Verizon™ and STEM Next
In partnership with Verizon™, STEM Next has curated bundles of lessons and activities from Verizon Innovative Learning HQ and created the following STEM Learning Journeys to help you implement these exciting STEM lessons and activities in your afterschool programs.
Techbridge Girls STEM Equity Learning Community – Spring 2025
Techbridge Girls has re-engineered how STEM Education is taught for 20+ years. Our curriculum and training help educators challenge gender, racial, and class bias in STEM fields and culture to help girls* see their unique STEM lineage, community, interests, and path to success. Research tells us that responsive learning environments can make all the difference in girls’ sustained interest in STEM. We also know that OST program managers, directors, and site directors play a critical role in the STEM trajectory for girls because they ensure their afterschool programs’ classrooms are equitable, gender and culturally responsive experiences. The STEM Equity Learning Community is designed to equip OST program managers, administrators, and site directors so that more equitable learning spaces are available for Black, Indigenous, and Latina girls (and gender-expensive youth).
other resources
DNA Day – April 25
STEM Next is partnering with global genomics leader Illumina on the “Future is Bright” campaign to bring the power and wonder of DNA science to afterschool and summer programs nationwide. Through hands-on activities like DNA extraction experiments and exclusive career chats with genomics leaders, we’re helping young people across America discover that innovation is truly in their DNA—and that breakthroughs in health, agriculture, and beyond all connect back to the power of genomics!
Professional Development: Join STEM Next for a DNA Day Launch Prep Webinar on April 10th to learn the tools and inspiration needed to host an engaging classroom experience! We’ll break down everything from crafting a dynamic DNA Day lesson plan to exploring hands-on activities that will ignite youth curiosity about genetics and genomics. Register here today!
Activities:
- Get students excited about genomics with a Strawberry DNA Extraction Experiment
- Order a DNA Extraction Kit (Please note: supplies are limited!)
- Virtual field trip: Unlock the secrets of DNA and dive into the fascinating world of genomics!
More resources here!
Museum of Science Boston Curricula
The Museum of Science, Boston’s Youth Engineering Solutions (YES) offers a collection of PK-8 engineering and STEM curricula designed to engage students in authentic, hands-on challenges connected to their lives and communities. The materials apply a model for equity-oriented and socially engaged engineering learning that encourages all to see themselves as engineers and passionate problem solvers poised to make a difference in the world. Curricula include 12 engaging, standards-aligned units for elementary and middle school grades and out-of-school settings. All curriculum guides can be downloaded for free at: https://yes.mos.org/curricula/yes-curricula/. Pre-made materials kits for classrooms and enrichment settings can also be purchased at that link.
Activities & Interactives for Families
EiE Families, from the Museum of Science, Boston, has released several new activities and interactive introductions to at-home engineering and computer science activities. These brief online experiences introduce families to the engineering design process and important ideas in computer science, so they are ready to try out hands-on activities with confidence. All EiE Families resources—including the new online introductions, the hands-on activities, and the website itself—are available for free in both English and Spanish at: https://families.eie.org/activities/at-home
- Simply STEM – December
- DEI Bytes – The Alliance for Identity Inclusive Computing Education’s “DEI Bytes” lesson series on YouTube focuses on developing equitable teaching skills for CS education, including topics on ableism, unconscious bias, and computing access.
- Simply STEM – November
- Simply STEM – October
- Simply STEM – September
- NGCP Blog – Supporting Space STEM Education: Resources to Spark Curiosity and Inspire STEM Learning – This blog post shares a list of resources put together based on NGCP’s experience at the National Space Council’s Space STEM Forum along with the ongoing work of NGCP supporting gender equity in STEM.
- NGCP Blog – Picture Books to Break Stereotypes in STEM (and Beyond!) – Find a list (with links) to the best STEM picture books for young learners featuring diverse characters and girl-centered stories.
- Simply STEM – August
- Simply STEM – July
- Simply STEM – June
- Simply STEM – May
- Simply STEM – April
- DNA Day
- Building a Community for Indigenous Mathematicians – Easy to read article on identifying as an indigenous mathematician and how to become part of a community of mathematicians.
- Three Ways Educators Can Shift the Way They Talk About Science – Blog post with simple suggestions for educators based on research conducted by Amanda Cardarelli at NYU.
- Simply STEM – March
- Simply STEM – February
- Simply STEM – January
- ‘I’m not just a mom’: Parents as creators, collaborators, and learners in creative computing
- National STEM Day
Look Up – August
Look Up – July
Look Up – June
Look Up – May
Look Up – April
- STEM Pathway Strategy: Near-Peer Mentorship Model – Learn more about near-peer mentorship models as a strategy to build relationships with youth, connect to youth culture, and better understand their STEM related interests. Ultimately youth engage their STEM interests in programming and develop relationships with mentors who can offer guidance and support whether STEM-related or not.
STEM Pathway Strategy: Translating Youth Interests to STEM Career and Entrepreneurship – Learn more about how Afterschool State Networks and programs can connect youths’ interests with potential STEM career opportunities they may not otherwise encounter or know about. This is critical to developing STEM pathways because youth build their professional STEM networks and pursue STEM careers, which leads to a larger and more skilled STEM workforce in the state/network/community. Learn more here.
Women in the STEM Workforce: Stories and Learnings from Corporate Leaders – We explore the realities and opportunities for women in the STEM workforce. We will hear from leaders sharing insights, experiences, and strategies for creating an inclusive work environment. We discuss the challenges faced by women in STEM careers, balancing careers and family, steps to overcome workplace biases, and the importance of championing equal opportunities and career advancement for women. This episode offers valuable perspectives and inspiration for both aspiring and current professionals in the STEM field. Listen now.
Test-Drive a STEM Career with Fun Science Experiments – Many kids are interested in popular science and engineering careers they hear about, but do they know what it’s really like to go to work in that career? What kinds of tasks, projects, and experiments does someone in that job really do? Trying out projects, experiments, and activities related to specific career paths is a great way to help students more clearly understand different science and engineering fields. This kind of exploration also helps students see that within the umbrella terms “scientist” and “engineer,” there are lots of interesting and exciting career paths and opportunities! There are 10 popular STEM careers paired with exciting hands-on activities that make it fun for kids to test-drive careers of interest.
- How to Integrate Technology – Successful technology integration is more than just getting the tools into the classroom; here are some ideas on how to engage students and enliven lessons with those tools.
- Physical Computing’ Connects Computer Science With Hands-On Learning – This article highlights the hands-on approach to teaching computational thinking and positions it as is a good way to “check off” the competencies that students should learn as part of the Computer Science Teachers Association K-12 Computer Science Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards.
- Brilliant – Designed for older youth (13+) these visual, interactive lessons make concepts feel intuitive — so even complex ideas just click. Real-time feedback and simple explanations engage and encourage youth.
As technology continues to evolve, it’s crucial that we prepare the next generation for the jobs of tomorrow. This fantastic resource offers 8 practical ways to integrate AI and technology into youth education. Let’s help students get ready for their future! Explore more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/pl/aiincalifornia.asp
- Great Career Exploration Resources from Illumina and Verizon Partners
- Career Girls – A comprehensive video-based career exploration tool for girls featuring diverse women STEM role models. It’s free to use and contains 16,000 videos, as well as career quizzes and resources.
- Engineering Mindsets/Computer Science: AI 101 for Teachers – This is a free, foundational online learning series for educators interested in AI. The series features lessons from Code.org, ETS, ISTE and Khan Academy to demystify AI, explore responsible implementation, address bias, and showcase how AI-powered learning can revolutionize.
- Engineering Mindsets/Computer Science: Teach Computer Science & Coding to Kids – This Google sponsored site supports educators to engage youth in coding activities. It’s free, fun, and no computer science experience is required. The lessons are video based and cover a variety of subjects.
- FabFems – A collection of resources for role models, educators, and parents to inspire and educate girls about science, computer science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses and careers. The website includes Resources for Role Models and Resources for Girls.
- Million Womens Mentors – MWM is the premier network dedicated to encouraging girls and women around the world to pursue, persists, and succeed in STEM careers.
- National Mentoring Resource Center – A collection of mentoring resources including handbooks, curricula, manuals, and other resources that practitioners can use to implement and further develop program practices.
- Techbridge Role Model Training and Resources – These resources are for adult or near-peer role models to develop skills for engaging girls and historically excluded youth in STEM through guides, videos, and questions.
- Access to STEM Framework: To improve the overall quality of out-of-school STEM programs, we need to address how program providers design and implement programming to increase access in STEM for youth who have been underrepresented in the STEM fields. Partnering with the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) and national experts, we have developed an Access to STEM Framework — a guide for supporting program providers in this transformation. Download the Framework.
- IF/THEN Collection – The IF/THEN® Collection is the largest free resource of its kind dedicated to increasing access to authentic and relatable images of real women in STEM. Here in this digital library, you will find thousands of photos, videos and other assets that authentically represent women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The content features careers as diverse as shark tagging, fashion design, and training Olympic athletes, and nudges public perceptions in a more realistic direction that illuminates the importance of STEM everywhere.
- Mentoring in a Box – Technical Women at Work – The Mentoring-in-a-Box: Technical Women at Work is a resource from the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT). This resource offers activities, resources, and tools to support a mentoring pair, presented in an easy-to-use format. Visit www.ncwit.org/resources for more related NCWIT resources.
- ACE Mentor Program: Architecture, Construction, and Engineering – The ACE Mentor Program of America, Inc. not only engages sponsors and volunteer mentors to expose students to real-world opportunities, but it also financially supports each student’s continued success through scholarships and grants. The ACE program helps to mentor high school students and inspires them to pursue careers in design and construction.
- Past Monthly Activities
- Learn more about the Hour of Code, download the Afterschool Guide for Hour of Code to explore activities and tutorials, and encourage programs to register as an official Hour of Code site to globally engage and take advantage of the full Hour of Code experience.
- Generation Genius – This video and easy to do activity demonstrate how adding carbon dioxide to water changes it. The activity has clear instructions, discussion questions, background information, everything needed to do the activity!
- kaipodlearning.com – 57 amazing, no cost resources including activities, videos, blogs, and curriculum. Families who want to support STEM for their children can find lots of things here to support their efforts.
- Girl Scouts’ STEM Playbook, download
- STEM Kits & Supplies – Browse our Padlet list.
- Click2Science (click2sciencepd.org)
- CT Million Women Mentors
- Earth Day Education – Browse resources to guide your environmental education lessons and stewardship activities on Earth Day and throughout the year. These resources can be adapted to a variety of ages and settings.
- Educator Guide: Educator Guide: STEM Activities for Families | NASA/JPL Edu Easy to implement engaging activities for families (as a follow up to after school activities.)
- Exploring Paleontology to Spark Science Engagement from a Young Age – Learn how to nurture your students’ interest in dinosaurs and increase science engagement beginning in elementary school in this webinar recording. Hear from Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard, an Associate Professor of Anatomy and Paleontology at the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, and PK-5th grade teacher Alyssa Barr who shares tips on how to use a book like Lily and Maia to fuel an integrated learning experience. This webinar also featured Audrey O’Connell, co-founder of HSG, who shared the process of developing the Lily and Maia characters and working with the young artist, Grace Hattrup, to ensure scientific accuracy of the paleo elements.
- Girls Rock in Science & Math
- Innovation Play
- KinderLab Robotics – If you’re looking to add coding, robotics, and STEAM to your afterschool or OST programs, chose KIBO!
- Museum of Science – Educator resources, activities and more!
- National Inventors Hall of Fame
- The National Center for Quality Afterschool – Math in Afterschool – The National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning developed professional development guides for four content areas of the toolkit: literacy, math, technology, and the arts.
- National Geographic – Bring National Geographic to your classroom through lesson plans, maps, and reference resources.
- PBS Kids Protecting Our Planet Resources – Earth day games, crafts, printables, and other resources for kids ages 2-5 from PBS Kids.
- Room to Read STEAM Powered Careers Collection – Room to Read’s STEAM-Powered Careers collection presents 10 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics-themed books to inspire first through third graders about the wide variety of groundbreaking and exciting STEAM careers that they can start exploring right now.
- Scratch – The world’s largest coding community for children and free coding language designed for children ages 8+. With a simple visual interface, Scratch easily allows young people to create digital stories, games, and animations.
- ScratchJr – A free application for young children (ages 5-7) to get their first introduction to coding. With ScratchJr, children code their own interactive stories and games. In the process, they learn to solve problems, design projects, and express themselves creatively on the computer.
- State of Girls and Women in STEM – This updated NGCP resource presents a high-level summary of the most compelling statistics and research on the state of girls and women in STEM, focused on K-12 Education, Higher Education, and the STEM Workforce. The report highlights the impacts of intersectional inequalities, as Latina, Black, and Indigenous women represent less than 10% of the STEM workforce. A toolkit with graphics of these statistics and research is available to use in social media and presentations.
- STEMfinity
- Tech Terra Education – STEM in a Box
- Teq.com – Explore the technology, tools, and instructional solutions that bring all of the dynamic moving parts of education together into the complete thought.
- You For Youth // Computer Science for All — Computer Not Required — This 21CCLC resources covers it all—activities, curricula, fact sheets. There’s information for practitioners, parents, and families. The ready-to-use resources for educators have links to everything including a variety of curricula for k-12 students and recommendations for best practice.
The CT After School Network is proud to be a part of the Million Girls Moonshot initiative, working to inspire and prepare the next generation of innovators by engaging one million more girls in STEM learning opportunities through afterschool and summer programs.
The Million Girls Moonshot will not only allow girls to envision themselves as future innovators, but it will increase the quality of out-of-school STEM learning opportunities for all young people, particularly underserved and underrepresented youth.
About the Million Girls Moonshot
The Moonshot is designed to spur girls’ interest, understanding, and confidence in STEM and equip them to become problem solvers with an engineering mindset. Led nationally by the STEM Next Opportunity Fund and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation in partnership with the Intel Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Million Girls Moonshot:
- Leverages afterschool networks in all 50 states to help school-age girls access high-quality STEM education, support, and mentors.
- Uses an equity and inclusion framework that is youth-centric and culturally responsive to increase gender, and racial and socio-economic diversity in STEM.
- Provides resources, support, mentorship, and expert guidance to help educators deliver hands-on STEM experiences in afterschool, out-of-school time, and summer learning programs.