2020-2021 Engineering Mindset STEM Mini-Grant Grantees Announced

The Alaska Afterschool Network, in partnership with STEM Next and Verizon Wireless, is proud to announce the recipients of the 2020-2021 Engineering Mindset Mini-Grants. These mini-grants were designed to help afterschool programs implement or expand high-quality STEM learning with an eye towards recruiting and engaging girls and other underrepresented populations in STEM fields. As part of STEM Next’s Million Girls Moonshot initiative, the goal of this grant program is to expand access to culturally and locally relevant afterschool STEM programming for girls in Alaska. These programs focus on helping girls develop STEM identities, to see themselves as engineers and scientists, to help encourage more girls to enter STEM careers. All grants received were for $3,000 and were awarded to seven programs. 

We were very pleased with the diversity of grant applicants, who have adapted to operating during COVID-19 and offer programing in-person or virtually. These STEM programs will help provide youth with valuable skills to prepare them for success in college, career, and life. Thank you to all the grant applicants for your commitment to positive youth development and informal STEM education! We received a total of 13 applications requesting nearly $40,000 and awarded $21,000 to seven programs. This demonstrates that there is a clear need for the support and expansion of STEM learning in afterschool. 

The 2020-2021 Engineering Mindset Mini-Grant recipients are listed below: 

Alaska Resource Education | Statewide

Alaska Resource Education will provide an 8-week STEM camp for girls across Alaska. Each day of the camp, there will be a short presentation introducing a new topic, followed by a fun, hands-on activity and a female guest speaker from that career field will present about her specific career. Each week, the girls will be introduced to a topic surrounding natural resources, will engage in a hands-on activity to solidify concepts, and then have the opportunity to virtually meet a female professional in the field we are discussing for that week.

Anchorage Museum | Anchorage, AK

This afterschool program serves as an introduction to the engineering process for middle school students. This month-long program meets once a week for 1.5 - 2 hours virtually. Each participant receives a material kit distributed prior to the start of the program that will help them learn about the engineering process through different topics and hands-on, rapid prototyping activities, while gaining confidence in their STEM skills, communication, teamwork, and more.

Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies | Homer, AK

The Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies is expanding existing programs to recruit more girls and provide more opportunities for girls in remote communities of Kachemak Bay to participate in STEM programming. They are partnering with local female high schoolers to lead a 4-week “Girls Get It!” virtual camp. They are piloting three multigenerational STEM workshops (in person & virtual) and are including virtual presentations by women scientists and female Traditional Knowledge Experts to engage more female mentors and role models.

Girls Scouts of Alaska | Statewide

Each month, Girl Scouts of Alaska broadcasts and records a new and fun webinar that corresponds with their STEM Patch of the Month Program. Girls can participate as individuals, with their families or as a troop, and can elect to take part in additional suggested activities and resources. From STEM Webinars in the past, Girl Scouts of Alaska has worked with scientists in Antarctica, NASA Scientists, the Seward SeaLife Center, and many others. Girl Scouts of Alaska has a large network of women working in STEM careers who they have partnered with to provide engaging STEM Webinars. This mini-grant supported this initiative by funding patches, speakers, and staff time required for developing this programming.

Nenana Public Library | Nenana, AK

Nenana Public Library’s Women in STEM Afterschool Program aims to increase interest in STEM among girls and bring awareness of women in STEM to kids that may not see themselves represented in STEM fields. This project will include on-site programming and the ability for students to check out reusable STEM kits to use at home, each one centering around a book about a famous woman in STEM as a role model and inspiration. These stories inspire girls and counter the negative stigma that STEM careers are not “for girls”.

Sitka Sound Science Center | Sitka, AK

The Marine Debris Engineering Club at the Sitka Sound Science Center will promote the STEM development of teenage girls by having members devise innovative ways to contain Styrofoam so it doesn’t break up when removing it from shorelines during beach cleanups. This project tackles a real-world problem using engineering and will involve conducting marine debris cleanups on local islands, researching other marine debris removal inventions, designing and building prototypes to collect and contain Styrofoam and other plastics, testing the designs in the classroom and in the field, and talking to and working with other female professionals in STEM fields.

YMCA of Anchorage Alaska | Anchorage, AK

The YMCA offers STEM programming designed to help change the reality of women being underrepresented in STEM careers by incorporating gender equitable practices into its programming. The YMCA uses tablets to work with "Girls Who Code" to incorporate a girls coding component, as well as using BrickLab kits for K-3rd Grade children, using the Girls Can Build Anything kit. By incorporating both hands on activities, along with online technology programs, the YMCA gives girls several opportunities to take part in fun, engaging STEM activities that will help bridge the gender equity gap in STEM careers for young girls in the Anchorage community.