Afterschool programs play a major role in providing meaningful science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning experiences to diverse groups of youth. These subjects help students succeed in school and prepare them for careers that are driving global economic growth.
Nationwide, states and schools are engaging diverse partners like afterschool programs, libraries, museums, universities, and businesses to ensure that students have access to high-quality STEM education.
Explore the resources below to learn more about how the hours outside of school can be utilized to spark learning and ignite interest by letting youth experiment with STEM ideas in real-world situations.
Million Girls Moonshot Resources
KYOSA is proud to be affiliated with the Million Girls Moonshot. Several years ago, the Intel Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation have joined STEM Next Opportunity Fund and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to launch the Million Girls Moonshot. The effort was designed to engage 1 million school-age girls in the United States in STEM learning opportunities by 2025.
- Engineering Mindset One of the primary goals of engineering education is to promote development of an engineering mindset. An engineering mindset refers to the values, attitudes, and thinking skills associated with engineering.
- Equity and Inclusion Framework This Initiative will benefit all students, improving the overall quality of all afterschool STEM opportunities and lifting up both boys and girls as they become future innovators.
- Family Engagement Research shows that parents are one of the biggest influences on youth interest and persistence in STEM.
- Role Models and Mentors This guide is designed to help you recruit and prepare role models to inspire girls in science, technology, and engineering. We outline our “recipe for success” for role models and provide tips for training.
- STEM Transitions and Pathways Brokering Youth Pathways was created to share tools and techniques around the youth development practice of “brokering” or connecting youth to future learning opportunities and resources.
Afterschool STEM Tool Kit is a starting place for networks, intermediaries and afterschool site-based staff to help answer common questions about providing high quality, informal STEM experiences for youth.
Out-of-School STEM Academy builds skills with informal educators to deliver exceptional STEM programming.
Million Girls Moonshot STEM Resource Catalog is a non-exhaustive curated collection of STEM and engineering resources.
Other STEM Resources
COSI Connects launches audiences of all ages into a universe of science through online videos, activities, plus a free mobile app that enables science exploration even when offline. COSI Connects is helping to bridge the digital divide, promote digital literacy, and address critical science education needs simultaneously.
Girls Who Code is a national non-profit working to close the gender gap in technology. Clubs are free after-school programs for 6th-12th grade girls to use computer science to impact their community and join a sisterhood of supportive peers and role models.
STEM Ready America is a compendium from 40 authors presenting persuasive evidence—as well as real-world examples of effective practices, programs, and partnerships—on how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) knowledge and skills are preparing young people for success in school today and the workforce tomorrow.
Click2Science is a resource for out-of-school time professionals. It is designed to help providers build high-quality STEM programs by giving them the skills they need to create positive STEM learning experiences outside the school day.
Common Instrument is a PEAR tool used to assess interest and engagement in science.
Dimensions of Success (DoS) is a PEAR observation tool that defines 12 indicators of STEM program quality in OST settings.
MakerMinded is a free program designed to encourage middle and high school students to participate in local STEM activities, particularly related to advanced manufacturing.
InformalScience.org is a collection of project, research, and evaluation resources designed to support informal STEM education in a variety of learning environments.
PBS LearningMedia is a great destination for educators to access high-quality, trusted digital content that inspires youth and transforms learning.
Afterschool STEM Hub will help providers, parents, and afterschool advocates make the case for expanding and supporting afterschool STEM program.
Kentucky After 3PM STEM Report (2020) shows that more Kentucky parents than ever agree that STEM learning in afterschool helps kids gain interest and skills related to STEM, but barriers and inequities exist.