Ventura County STEM Network

Ventura County, CA

About

The Ventura County STEM Network (VC STEM) is a group of key decision makers from education, business, parent organizations, and community agencies dedicated to improving academic access and excellence. As a network, we connect individuals and organizations with one another in order to bring about systemic change. VC STEM is an initiative of the Ventura County P-20 Regional Council with California State University Channel Islands serving as the primary lead.

The vision of VC STEM is that all Ventura County students, from pre-kindergarten through post-graduate studies (P-20), will benefit from high quality STEM learning opportunities, and graduate with the STEM knowledge and abilities that will translate into successful careers positively impacting our region, nation, and the world.

VC STEM’s three action groups include Early STEM Learning, STEM Expanded Learning, and STEM Professional Learning for Educators and Leaders.

Key Programs

The work of VC STEM and its programs are in three areas:

Defining, Recognizing, and Making Visible High Quality STEM

VC STEM 3D Tool: Discover, Dream, Design: VC STEM created this tool to define the attributes of high-quality STEM learning and allow educational settings to self-assess their programming.
Golden Gear Award: VC STEM launched a recognition program for educational settings that exhibit high-quality STEM programming as defined in the 3D Tool. The annual award recognizes Early STEM, Elementary School STEM, Middle School STEM, High School STEM, and STEM Expanded Learning Settings.
STEM Champions / Radicals Awards: VC STEM recognizes individuals and organizations for their contributions to STEM excellence in Ventura County through these awards.
Tour de STEM: This program brings educators and leaders on a tour of educational settings that exhibit high-quality STEM programming. Tours are provided annually at various educational levels: Early STEM, Elementary School STEM, Middle School STEM, High School STEM, and STEM Expanded Learning.

Encouraging Mentoring by STEM Professionals

STEM Odyssey / STEM Mentoring with US2020: VC STEM partners with US2020 to connect K-12 grade students with STEM professionals as mentors through one-time events and classroom-based mentoring programs.
STEM Inspired Stories: You can’t be what you can’t see. VC STEM seeks to make visible STEM professionals to our underserved K-12 students in Ventura County through a website repository of interviews of STEM professionals: http://steminspiredstories.org

Resource Sharing and Educator Professional Development

Bedtime Math & Crazy 8’s: VC STEM partners with the Bedtime Math Foundation to bring the Bedtime Math app and the Crazy 8’s afterschool math club to our region through professional development sessions.
STEM Experiences for Educators and Leaders (SEEL): This event is held in conjunction with the annual Science Carnival and it provides educators and leaders with an opportunity to experience hands-on STEM activities that they can bring back to their classrooms. A website repository of the science activities is available as a resource to educators: http://scactivities.cikeys.com

Key Articles

Partners

Ventura County Office of Education
Child Development Inc.
Child Development Resources
Ventura Library System
Workforce Development Board
CSU Channel Islands
Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) – Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) Naval Facilities
Engineering Command (NAVFAC) – Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (EXWC)
Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) – Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD)
Oxnard Chamber of Commerce
Oxnard College
Ventura College
California Lutheran University
Oxnard Union High School District
Somis Union School District
Boys and Girls Clubs
Channel Islands National Park
IEEE Buenaventura