STEM Next Opportunity Fund’s lead researcher, Linda Kekelis, muse on some of the ah-ha moments and key take-aways from The Family Engagement Project.
Welcome Back to Afterschool
Read moreThe afterschool community has stepped up with its superpower in responding to the education, social, economic, and health challenges of the past year and half …
Million Girls Moonshot
Read moreSummer is coming. So is the search for ideas to support summer learning. Let’s not let stereotypes hold us back from providing science, technology, engineering…
Mentor Challenge
Read moreStarting the new year with a spotlight on mentoring is a good thing. For this year’s National Mentoring campaign we need to do more. More than ever before, our…
COVID-19 Requires Us to Reimagine Family Engagement
Read moreIn this blog we share seven practices to support families in this next generation of family engagement. Guiding questions are written to help funders as they p…
Listening: The “Secret Sauce” for Impactful Family Engagement
Read moreWe don’t have the resources to listen to families. We tried but didn’t get much feedback. We don’t see parents of the children served in our programs. We would…
From an Hour of Code to a Year of Possibilities
Read moreCheers to another successful Computer Science Education Week. What began as a one-hour coding challenge has expanded into a worldwide phenomenon with millions …
How Do We Achieve Computer Science for All? Not without Family Engagement
Read moreComputer science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and venture capital. Imagine youth in Detroit, DC, and Des Moines bringing their talents, fresh ideas…
2019 The Summer of STEM
Read more“Not all summers are created equal.” We agree with this assessment from Laura Johnson, VP of Communications at the National Summer Learning Association. STEM N…
Where Do Families Go for STEM?
Read moreWhat do libraries have to do with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)? These days, plenty. You can find preschoolers and their caregivers engagin…
- By Linda Kekelis and Kara Sammet in Family Engagement, News, Original Resources, Research and Resources on
How a Library’s Making Program Empowers Mothers and Daughters
Read morePublic libraries have a unique opportunity to expand the reach of STEM. “Public libraries provide a ‘third space’ beyond the formal classroom and home that can…
Introduce a Girl to Engineering 2021
Read moreIntroduce a Girl to Engineering Day 2021 is like no other. Girl Day may be different this year, but it does not have to limit your options.
Million Girls Moonshot Sparks STEM Imaginations
Read more11 Affordable Holiday Gift Ideas for GirlsPhoto credit: kite_rinBuilding sets, science kits, computer games, robots. Who receives these gifts for the holidays …
Supporting Families and COVID-19: We’ve Got to Get This Right
Read moreBy Linda Kekelis and Ron Ottinger Bedtime MathThese are challenging times as we deal with the COVID-19 health crisis and disruptions in work, schools, and comm…
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day: Only the Beginning
Read moreGet ready. Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day will be hosted February 20, 2020 during Engineers Week. Girls want to make the world a better place. Girl Day sh…
10 Fun and Free Holiday Gifts for 2019
Read moreThis year I am switching up my usual holiday gift list and sharing ideas that make time for creativity and connection. These gifts won’t cost anything, and wil…
Got STEM? Families are the Key as Kids Head Back to School
Read moreAs kids go back to school, their families are looking for safe places for them to do their homework, engage in physical activity, and learn new skills. Science…
Public Libraries in the STEM Ecosystem
Read moreBringing science-themed workshops to families in rural Appalachia, giving students and families in a summer meal program a chance to build robots, and letting …
Flipping the Engagement Model on Its Head: Bringing STEM Home to Families
Read moreSTEM programs often approach family engagement in a similar way—with a one-time, end-of-program celebration in which youth show-and-tell STEM projects to their…
- By Linda Kekelis and Kara Sammet in Family Engagement, News, Original Resources, Research and Resources on
After Hour of Code™: Family Engagement Maintains the Momentum
Read moreComputer Science Education Week aims to inspire K-12 students in computer science. Held the second week of December in honor of the birthday of Admiral Grace M…
