This August we took a detour. Instead of our regular run of things, this month we decided to dive into a topic that most people think about, but that few people are comfortable discussing - race and racism. Yes it was awkward. Yes it was more than a little bit strained at times. But, just like the topic itself, the discussion was real. We turned the camera off for that part because we wanted our attendees to speak freely, so there’s nothing to see. But it’s something we all need to think about more. Improving STEM education in BIPOC populations throughout northeast Ohio is a core tenant of NeoSTEM’s work, and we always welcome the discussion. So give us a call if you want to talk.

Who doesn’t love a bit of arcane trivia about the history of a national holiday? Check out our September meeting for the long, dry history of Labor Day no one asked for. But get through that bit, and you’ll be rewarded with a great story from our own Ebony Hood about her experience as a worker at General Electric, and how it shaped her thoughts on how to better harness local talent and guide it into northeast Ohio’s workforce pipeline today. (spoiler alert: it’s through community colleges and industry partnerships)

This month we met in person at the Verizon Community Forward Union-Miles Learning Center in Cleveland's Earle B. Turner Neighborhood Resource and Recreation Center. Welcomed by our dear friend and center director Feowyn Mackinnon, the Verizon Community Forward Learning Center offers free technology-focused training to Cleveland residents for lifelong STEM learning, industry-specific job development and small business growth. The Union Miles Learning Center is one of two opening in 2022 as part of Verizon Community Forward, an initiative of Citizen Verizon, Verizon’s responsible business plan for economic, environmental and social advancement.

In our November virtual meeting, we welcomed Kate Klonowski to discuss the STEM PUSH Network. Kate is the coordinator for both the Provost Scholars Program and the North Star Vaccination Initiative, and acts as staff advisory council representative at Case Western Reserve University. STEM PUSH is forming the first national network of pre-college STEM programs. These programs are connected into STEM pathways within regional communities through STEM Ecosystems. We also welcomed Ilene Frankel, executive director of the Young Entrepreneur Institute at University School. YEI was founded by Greg Malkin in 2005, and launched its initial work at US in 2006. YEI believes every student should experience entrepreneurship through hands-on, real world experiences. YEI operates on a collaborative model; it teaches students directly, and also engages its network of educators and entrepreneurship organizations.

This week, we gathered with our friends one last time in 2022 at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium for good conversation, good food, and a bit of fun. We had a bottled water taste test and yes, it (sorta) turns out you can (sorta) tell the difference between spring water and tap water and all of the artisanal options out there. Sorta. But it was a fun experiment that saw three winners walk away with gift bags provided by Ramses Clements at the Cleveland Water Department, which we all know brings us the best water. We met with old friends from MyCom and Youth Opportunities Unlimited, and new friends from Avery Dennison and ESC of the Western Reserve. And we got a much-too-short tour from Matt Debelak of the great things the aquarium offers. As we look to 2023, we’re excited to see these meetings grow into fun opportunities to network, share ideas, and work together to improve education opportunity in our communities. We’ve got a great lineup set for next year, and we look forward to seeing more and more gather with us. We can’t wait to see you in 2023.

We made the first stop on our 2023 monthly meeting tour at the Cuyahoga County Public Library’s Parma-Snow branch, and wow was it a good one. Our ecosystem friends turned out at this month’s meeting for a great presentation and tour of the library’s Innovation Center. It’s one of the four CCPL Innovation Centers that offer programming and support to everyone from students and teachers to budding entrepreneurs and hobbyists. The centers are free to use and an awful lot of fun. We were thrilled to be there, and can’t wait to come back.

We introduced Caliper, a tool developed to measure STEM ecosystems. Caliper will help us develop our work along the five pillars of a healthy ecosystem: Partnership. System. Teaching and Learning. Measurement. Workforce. Click here to view the slide presentation. Yes, we can't wait to see 👀 and share the results 📊, either!

This week we gathered at the beautiful Boston Mill Visitor Center in Cuyahoga Valley National Park for this month's Ecosystem meeting. We were treated to a great presentation from our friends at the National Park Service, followed by an even better conversation about the impacts of technology and artificial intelligence on the future of education. These meetings are a reminder of the power of cross-sector collaboration to bring about positive change in our community!

Our April Monthly Meeting hosted by RidAll Green Partnership met the gold standard, Black Gold that is. We toured this neighborhood gem and learned about its STEM-based and old-school community outreach that truly meets people where they are. We also enjoyed delicious food at the community kitchen and restaurant. 💡Here’s a Ridall summertime☀️ tip Remember the old-school watermelons 🍉 that actually had seeds on the inside? Well, you can still find those at the Ridall Farmer Jones Indoor Market. It’s the perfect solution to bring back an old-school watermelon seed-spitting contest with your friends and family. (Don’t sleep 😴 on this!)

NeoSTEM visited the remarkable Summit Lake Nature Center, now a thriving space along the Akron lakeshore. This location was previously an outdated pump station and eyesore for residents. New life poured into the site through collaboration between the city, community gardens, the Knight Foundation, the Ohio Canalway, ODNR, and youth groups. We toured the new welcoming facilities along the water, learning how focused community organizations and funding transformed once-abandoned infrastructure into an inclusive asset drawing in schools, families, and outdoor enthusiasts of all backgrounds. Between exploring interactive exhibits, we discussed the power of uplifting underutilized local spaces to spark curiosity, stewardship, and intergenerational connections. 

NeoSTEM visited the legendary Derby Downs track in Akron, home of the Gravity Racing Challenge. We learned soapbox racers first emerged in the early 1900s, even appearing in 1914's Kid Auto Races film. We toured the winding 953-foot track and surrounding fairgrounds that today draw international racers. Participants raced one another in their box cars, reaching "thrilling" speeds for gravity-fueled vehicles. We shared tasty bites and discussed the innovation pathway - from imaginative kids tinkering in garages to engineers designing the next generation of transportation.

NeoSTEM gathered at the impressive Hyland Software headquarters to tour their state-of-the-art educational facilities. We experienced hands-on technology sessions led by Hyland facilitators in the c lab. We designed customized websites using fundamental developer tools, learning about graphic interfaces and cloud hosting. We discussed AI and lifting equity barriers facing underserved groups. We left feeling inspired! Thank you, Hyland Software, for welcoming our community of practice!