Arizona Technology Council Foundation

LEAD APPLICANT ORGANIZATION: ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL FOUNDATION DBA SCITECH INSTITUTELEAD APPLICANT ENTITY TYPE: DOMESTIC NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONLEAD APPLICANT CITY STATE: PHOENIX, ARIZONAREQUIRED PARTNERS:NORTHERN ARIZONA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS (NACOG) | WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENTARIZONA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL | INDUSTRY TRADE ASSOCIATIONVIASAT | EMPLOYERCOCHISE TECHNOLOGY DISTRICT | EDUCATIONCOCHISE COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT | EDUCATIONPIMA COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT | EDUCATIONADDITIONAL PARTNERS:CENTER FOR THE FUTURE OF ARIZONA (SUBAWARDEE) | DOMESTIC NONPROFIT CORPORATION OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME (OST) PROVIDERPARTNERSHIP FOR ECONOMIC INNOVATION PIPELINE AZ (SUBAWARDEE) | DOMESTIC NONPROFIT CORPORATION OST PROVIDERGOSHEN EDUCATION CONSULTING (CONTRACTOR) | EXTERNAL EVALUATORARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE | 2-YEAR COLLEGEWORK-BASED LEARNING ALLIANCE | OST NON-PROFITPROPOSED GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE SERVICE AREAS AND SITES: STATEWIDESERVICE AREAS: ARIZONA S 13 RURAL COUNTIESCOCONINO (NORTH), YAVAPAI (NORTH CENTRAL), NAVAJO AND APACHE (NE) GRAHAM AND GREENLEE (EASTERN) GILA AND PINAL (CENTRAL) COCHISE (SE), SANTA CRUZ (S), YUMA (SW), AND LA PAZ AND MOJAVE (W). IN ADDITION, PROJECT PARTNERS WORK WITH RURAL COMMUNITIES IN ARIZONA S LARGEST COUNTIES, MARICOPA AND PIMA. THESE COMMUNITIES AND OST ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE ENGAGED IN THE PROJECT AS APPROPRIATE.TOTAL PARTICIPANTS TO BE SERVED: 28,167TOTAL FUNDING REQUESTED: 1,999,819TOTAL LEVERAGED FUNDS: 7,715,000PROJECT TITLE NAME: FORGING STEM CAREER LITERACY AND PATHWAYS IN RURAL ARIZONATARGETED POPULATION(S) TO BE SERVED: RURAL ARIZONA 11-21-YEAR OLDS, INCLUDING FEMALE, MINORITY, AND HIGH-NEED YOUTHPUBLIC CONTACT INFORMATION: NAME, TITLE: DR. JEREMY BABENDURE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ADDRESS: 1438 W. BROADWAY RD., STE. 101, TEMPE, AZ 85282PHONE NUMBER: 480-250-7764EMAIL ADDRESS: JBABENDURE SCITECHINSTITUTE.ORGBRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PROJECTFORGING STEM CAREER LITERACY AND PATHWAYS IN RURAL ARIZONA WILL 1) BUILD PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN EMPLOYERS, OST, EDUCATION, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS TO EFFECTIVELY PROMOTE RURAL YOUTH S AWARENESS OF, INTEREST IN, AND ACCESS TO STEM CAREER PATHWAYS 2) BRIDGE EMPLOYERS NEEDS WITH TRAINING ORGANIZATIONS, OST PROGRAMS, AND EDUCATORS TO PROMOTE EFFECTIVE EDUCATION-TO-HIRE TRAJECTORIES 3) EXPAND AND REINFORCE RURAL YOUTH S STEM CAREER LITERACY AND SKILLS THROUGH OST PROGRAMS AND 4) DEVELOP A REPLICABLE MODEL FOR EMPOWERING RURAL AND TRADITIONALLY MARGINALIZED YOUTH IN PURSUING STEM CAREERS.THE PROPOSED PROJECT SERVES ARIZONAS 300,000 RURAL 11-21-YEAR-OLDS, INCLUDING FEMALES, MINORITIES (PARTICULARLY HISPANIC AND NATIVE AMERICAN), OY, AND HIGH-NEED YOUTH IN THE STATE S 13 RURAL COUNTIESCOCONINO (NORTH), YAVAPAI (NORTH CENTRAL), NAVAJO AND APACHE (NE) GRAHAM AND GREENLEE (EASTERN) GILA AND PINAL (CENTRAL) COCHISE (SE), SANTA CRUZ (S), YUMA (SW), AND LA PAZ AND MOJAVE (W). PROJECT PARTNERS WILL ALSO ENGAGE RURAL COMMUNITIES IN ARIZONA S LARGEST COUNTIES, MARICOPA AND PIMA. 12,000 RURAL K-12 YOUTH, THEIR FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL BE ENGAGED IN EXPLORING STEM EDUCATION AND CAREER PATHWAYS 6,000 WILL DEVELOP EDUCATION AND CAREER ACTION PLANS, LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR THEIR FUTURE AND 960 YOUTH WILL GAIN CRITICAL WORKFORCE SKILLS THROUGH WORK-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES, SUCH AS INTERNSHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS.

ARIZONA K-8 CONSORTIUM: BUILDING COMPUTER SCIENCE AND COMPUTATIONAL THINKING CAPACITY IN RURAL K-8 EDUCATION

CONFERENCE: ANNUAL RURAL STEM LEARNING SUMMIT -RURAL COMMUNITIES OFTEN LACK ACCESS TO INFORMAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. THE RURAL STEM LEARNING SUMMIT WILL PROMOTE COLLABORATION AND SUPPORT FOR RURAL STEM EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS, PROFESSIONALS, AND ORGANIZATIONS. RESEARCH DEMONSTRATES THE STRENGTHS OF RURAL SOCIAL ENTERPRISES, REGIONAL NETWORKS, AND EXTENDED PROXIMITY IN CATALYZING INNOVATION AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO OVERCOME THESE UNIQUE CHALLENGES. HOWEVER, RURAL STEM INITIATIVES FACE COMMON BARRIERS, SUCH AS PHYSICAL DISTANCE, LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE, LIMITED INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND STRETCHED RESOURCES IN DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING STEM ECOSYSTEMS. THE CONFERENCE WILL PROVIDE A CRITICAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ENHANCING KNOWLEDGE AROUND INNOVATION IN THESE AREAS AND SHARING LESSONS LEARNED WITH AND ADVANCING COLLABORATION. THE FOCUS WILL BE ON COLLECTIVE IMPACT, RURAL EMPOWERMENT, AND SUCCESSFUL RURAL STEM PROGRAMS. TOPICS WILL INCLUDE RESEARCH AND EVALUATION, ARTS INTEGRATION, PARTNERSHIPS, WORKING WITH UNDER-RESOURCED POPULATIONS, AND BUILDING RURAL STEM IDENTITY. THE CONFERENCE WILL USE A VARIETY OF FORMATS, INCLUDING KEYNOTES, BRIEF (FLASH) TALKS PRESENTING QUICK OVERVIEWS OF PROGRAMS AND IDEAS, HOSTED WORKSHOPS PROVIDING READY-MADE ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES, FACILITATED WORKSHOPS LED BY EXPERTS, PROJECT DIRECTORS AND RESEARCHERS, AND INFORMAL OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET THOSE WITH COMMON INTERESTS. THE CONFERENCE WILL BE STRUCTURED AS A HYBRID FORMAT WITH IN-PERSON AND DIGITAL OPTIONS TO SUPPORT PARTICIPATION. THE CONFERENCE WILL ENGAGE REGISTRANTS IN FACILITATED DISCUSSIONS AIMED AT GROUPING PARTICIPANTS AROUND COMMON INTERESTS. THESE COHORTS WILL NAVIGATE THE CONFERENCE AS A TEAM AND COLLABORATE ON DEVELOPING A SHARED PRACTICE/PRODUCT THAT CAN BE TESTED LOCALLY AND SHARED MORE BROADLY. BY ENGAGING A WIDE VARIETY OF RURAL STAKEHOLDERS, FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONS, PERSPECTIVES, VIEWPOINTS, AND REGIONS, THE CONFERENCE WILL OFFER A DISTINCT OPPORTUNITY FOR PROMOTING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION. THE CONFERENCE WILL HOST FOLLOW-UP SESSIONS THAT WILL FOSTER CONTINUING COLLABORATION AND BUILD MOMENTUM FOR AN ANNUAL RURAL STEM EDUCATION CONFERENCE. THIS CONFERENCE IS FUNDED BY THE ADVANCING INFORMAL STEM LEARNING (AISL) PROGRAM, WHICH SUPPORTS PROJECTS THAT: (A) CONTRIBUTE TO RESEARCH AND PRACTICE THAT CONSIDERS INFORMAL STEM LEARNING'S ROLE IN EQUITY AND BELONGING IN STEM; (B) PROMOTE PERSONAL AND EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS IN STEM; (C) ADVANCE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY; (D) FOSTER INTEREST IN STEM CAREERS; (E) CREATE AND ENHANCE THE THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE INFORMAL STEM LEARNING; (F) IMPROVE COMMUNITY VIBRANCY; AND/OR (G) ENHANCE SCIENCE COMMUNICATION AND THE PUBLIC'S ENGAGEMENT IN AND UNDERSTANDING OF STEM AND STEM PROCESSES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.