Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) Selected to Join Transformative National STEM Learning Initiative

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The STEM Funders Network (SFN) announced today that the Lancaster County STEM Alliance and the Carbon/Schuylkill/Luzerne Counties Ecosystem, of which the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool Youth Development Network (PSAYDN is an established partner of, have been selected among 10 STEM Learning Ecosystems to join the STEM Learning Ecosystems Initiative, a national initiative, initially developed in 2015-16 beginning with 27 STEM Learning Ecosystems communities across the United States.

Led by the STEM Funders Network, the STEM Learning Ecosystems Initiative is built on more than a decade of National Academy and related research focused on how to cultivate successful STEM collaborations. The selected sites from across the United States have committed to collaborate and share their work towards this common vision.

"These communities have the potential of reaching millions of young people both in and out-of-school with innovative STEM learning opportunities," said SFN co-chairs Gerald Solomon, executive Director, Samueli Foundation, and Ron Ottinger, Director of STEM Next. "It is an initiative to design the kind of infrastructure that ensures STEM learning is truly 'everywhere' and is a top priority for communities supporting youth to develop the skills and knowledge they need for success in a global workforce."

The initiative is focused on bringing all in and out of school learning platforms together, from PreK through higher education including the voice of workforce, to ensure that ALL people have equal access and opportunity to succeed in the STEM fields.

"PSAYDN is thrilled to become a partner in this innovative learning community and aims to coordinate and align Pennsylvania's STEM rich resources for the benefit of all our young people," said Laura Saccente, PSAYDN director. We look forward to great things from Carbon/Schuylkill/Luzerne Counties and Lancaster County STEM Alliance as they implement their STEM Ecosystems."

The 10 communities will join the initial cohort of the national STEM Community of Practice, having demonstrated cross-sector collaborations that deliver rigorous, effective preK-16 instruction in STEM learning in schools and beyond the classroom – in afterschool and summer programs, science centers, libraries, at home and other places both virtual and physical— that spark young people's engagement, develops their knowledge, strengthens their persistence and nurtures their sense of identity and belonging in the STEM disciplines, leading to building a vibrant and competitive STEM workforce. As these STEM Ecosystems evolve, a student will be able to connect what they learn in and out of school with real-world learning opportunities, leading to STEM-related careers and opportunities.

The following ecosystem communities were selected to become part of this national STEM Learning Ecosystem:

• Bmore STEM (Baltimore, MD)
• Carbon/Schuylkill/Lucerne Counties Ecosystem (Schnecksville, PA)
• Central NM STEM-H Education Hub (Albuquerque, NM)
• Central Oklahoma Regional STEM Alliance (Oklahoma City, OK)
• DC STEM Network (Washington, DC)
• Northeast Florida STEM Hub (Jacksonville, FL)
• Lancaster County STEM Alliance (Lancaster, PA)
• North Louisiana STEM Alliance (Shreveport, LA)
• Omaha STEM Ecosystem (Omaha, NE)
• STEM Hub Downeast (Augusta, ME)

Learn more about the initiative at stemecosystems.org.

About the STEM Funders Network:
The STEM Funders Network brings together grantmakers working in STEM to learn from one another, leverage their collective resources and collaborate on high-impact projects they could not undertake alone. The vision of the STEM Funders Network is that all U.S. students should have equal opportunity to engage in high-quality STEM learning experiences that will enhance their ability to succeed in a STEM career or other chosen path.

STEM Ecosystems funding members of the STEM Funders Network include: Amgen Foundation, Broadcom Foundation, KDK Harmon Foundation, Overdeck Foundation, Pinkerton Foundation Samueli Foundation, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Foundation, Simons Foundation, STEM Next (Supported by the Noyce Foundation), and Tiger Woods Foundation.

About PSAYDN:
PSAYDN'S Project Accelerate works to increase awareness and facilitate capacity building of high quality, innovative, informal STEM programs in out-of-school time (OST) settings throughout Pennsylvania.  It looks forward to working with the Carbon/Schuylkill/Luzerne Counties Ecosystem and other STEM Learning Ecosystem models in Pennsylvania to help support STEM collaborations across the state. 

For more information, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].

Media Contact: Aylissa Kiely for PSAYDN 717-903-0219

SOURCE PSAYDN

Related Links

http://www.psaydn.org/