Berks STEM Connection

Berks County, Pennsylvania (including the city of Reading)

About

Berks STEM Connection Ecosystem is focused on providing STEM thinking and learning opportunities for the 70,000+ students in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Through an alliance of business and industry, post-secondary partners, community organizations, and school districts, Berks STEM Connection Ecosystem is able to provide the latest innovations in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math together with the Pre-K to post-secondary population to ensure a viable, thriving workforce for the future of Berks County. Initiatives include the creation of the Eastern Pennsylvania Innovation Catalyst (EPIC) Network, the result of a 2019 PAsmart Advancing Grant, through which a strong cadre of teacher leadership and extensive STEM resource lending library available to the county’s schools was developed. Through a partnership with the Science Research Institute, students have opportunities to work in state of the art labs and forge connections with STEM businesses and industries around the world. Berks STEM Connection Ecosystem works in conjunction with Career Ready Berks to provide career readiness information and experiences for students and teachers in Berks County.

Key Programs

Consistency: Create a K-12 framework for school districts to align educational opportunities to STEM career pathways

Curriculum: Align Berks STEM Connection activities to PA Standards and ensure integration into the K-12 curriculum

Experiences: Develop work-based learning and postsecondary experiences integrated into the K-12 curriculum

Professional Development: Provide professional development to teachers to serve as conduits for providing STEM education and opportunities

Parent Engagement: Engage and educate parents on STEM thinking and learning as well as assist in post-graduation planning

Career Ready Berks: Career Ready Berks is an alliance developed by Berks County School Districts, Post-Secondary Institutions, Businesses and local business organizations to provide information, resources, and training programs to the 70,000 students in Berks County. Career Ready Berks puts businesses and organizations in touch with local educators, who are trying to connect the business community to their classroom, school, and students. Through career building experiences, Berks County students interact with them directly and learn about what skills they should be building and mastering to excel in the workplace.

Chief Science Officers: The Chief Science Officer (CSO) Program is an initiative for 6th-12th grade students interested in science, technology, and innovation who want to make an impact in their communities. Selected students serve as STEM leaders in their schools, participating in leadership training, developing STEM action plans, and advocating for STEM opportunities while building valuable workplace skills in communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.

K-8 Microcredential Program: Free from PaTTAN, the micro-credential program contains a collection of independent, self-paced courses designed for educators seeking to dig deeper into specific CS professional learning topics. The program supports educators who are interested in exploring resources and opportunities to expand CS education, whether as stand-alone classes or by integrating CS concepts and practices into other content-area instruction. In each course, participants will explore relevant CS resources and develop a standards-aligned lesson activity and/or action plan to expand CS learning opportunities for their students.