STEM Community Leaders in MCS

If you've been following this blog or our Twitter feed (@MCSDigital), you've undoubtedly noticed a heavy emphasis on STEM learning in MCS.  From K-12 robotics to Cyber Patriot to science kits to STEM Camp to engineering lessons and everything in between- STEM concepts have swept through the district at a blistering pace, supported by our DIF team and our teachers.

Another major support system for this revolution in our schools is a group most folks likely have no idea even exist- our STEM Community Leaders group- a group that has been meeting to help promote and sustain STEM learning in Moore County Schools for more than 5 years!

This is a dynamic group of important stakeholders in our county- including local and regional business leaders, community organization leaders, parents, School Board members, Foundation members, as well as MCS curriculum and senior staff.  Here is a list of the groups and businesses whose members/representatives have been involved:

The Public Education Foundation of Moore County
Moore County Partners in Progress
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Duke Energy
The Palmer Foundation
Mebane Foundation
Kiwanis Club of the Sandhills
Sandhills Rotary Club
NC Realtors Association
Smithsonian Science Education Center
NC Inquiry Collaborative Network (NCICN)
North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center
Moore County Airport
First Tee of the Sandhills
Woodmen of the Wild
The Pilot
C.A.L.L. (Community Assisting Language Learners)

What impact does this group have on Moore County Schools students and teachers?
The impact this group has had has been deep and far-reaching.  They are a source of advisory ideas as well as financial backing.  3 years ago, a large STEM grant from the Mebane Foundation was expiring.  This grant planted many of the seeds of STEM within Moore County Schools and when it ended we were faced with a problem- how to sustain and grow these vital STEM initiatives after the grant funds had expired.

In order to solve this problem, the Public Education Foundation (PEF) offered the opportunity to create a separate "STEM Bucket" for grants and donations to flow into in order to sustain our growth.  The members of the STEM Community Leaders then worked hard to obtain grants and donations in order to build a "bridge to sustainability" for all of our STEM programs in the district. 



The results of this work were extremely impressive.  This group was able to raise over $75,000 over the course of the 2015-2016 school year in order to sustain our programs and allow us to build a self-sustaining funding model (our STEM Camp tuition goes directly to support all of these programs in MCS).  In addition, generous grants and donations continue to be facilitated by this group in order to add "fuel to the fire" as well as cover student scholarships to STEM Camp for those families who are unable to pay.  Keep in mind, this is all in addition to the targeted grants that the Public Ed Foundation have utilized to spark interest in STEM across the district.

In short, we could not be the leaders in STEM that we are in Moore County without this dedicated group who many people may not know about (and therefore be able to recognize and thank!).   If you are ever in contact with members of any of the above organizations, please tell them thank you for their support of engaged student learning in MCS!!!

Kiwanis Club Support of Moore County Schools

   The Kiwanis Club is a global organization of volunteers that are dedicated to improving the lives of children and communities they live in. On March 16, 2016 Moore County Schools was invited to attend a luncheon sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of North Carolina. At this lunch, students from Aberdeen Elementary, West Pine Middle, and Pinecrest High School were in attendance. Each of the schools showcased ways in which robotics and STEM initiatives are being implemented in the county. The students did an outstanding job and the Kiwanis members were so eager to watch the kids present.

   Students from Aberdeen Elementary shared their knowledge of the Lego WeDo kits. These kits are comprised of legos, motors, and programming software. Each kit has twelve different build options and correlates to content standards. Students are intrigued by using the WeDo kits and it gives them a taste of the engineering design process. In addition, teamwork, task analysis, and complex problem solving are skills embedded within the kits. Under the leadership of Mrs. Elizabeth Phillips at Aberdeen Elementary, her students were able to showcase how they used these kits to reinforce their learning of sequencing. 

   West Pine Middle School had two items they demonstrated at the event. One was the Lego EV3 robots, that will be featured at the Moore County School Robotics Competitions on May 6 and May 11, 2016. The other was the infamous blue robot called Dash! Both robots have been pivotal in teachers' ability to teach coding and reinforce STEM topics in the county this year.  With the help of the Kiwanis Club, we are able to hold two robotics competitions this year.  In addition, all schools in Moore County now have at least 2 EV3 robots. The support given to our county from the Kiwanis Club has been remarkable and we will be forever grateful. 

   Students from Pinecrest High School showcased an FTC (First Tech Challenge) robot they built. These robots are built from the TETRIX construction set and are run by two Android devices. These teams can compete at the state level and their builds are complex. All three high schools and New Century Middle, have already competed at the FTC regional robotics qualifier and did amazing! We are eager to see how our high school teams continue to grow! Kiwanis Club members were not only shown what students are doing in MCS, but also how the progression of robotics works in the county. Our goal is over the next couple years, to build strong high school robotics teams that grew out of our Lego WeDo and Lego EV3 initiatives. 

   We are so fortunate to work with such a special group of volunteers that supports the work we do in MCS. We thank them for their hospitality, delicious lunch, and warm invite. We sincerely appreciate all you do for Moore County and our students flourish because of you!

~Deanna Boesch