Corridor STEM Initiative

Mount Mercy College Hosts American Mathematics Competition Level 8 Exams

The Mount Mercy College Department of Mathematics and Computer Science hosted 52 junior high school aged math students as they took part in the American Mathematics Competition (AMC) Level 8 Exams. The students were energetic and put in a very good effort.

The Admissions Department supplied cookies and lemonade for the event. According to Lecturer Charles Ashbacher, the first student in the door said “Cookies! Awesome!”

Mount Mercy College will also host the AMC Level 10/12 Exams in February and the Level * Exams again next November. Persons interested in the exams should contact Lecturer Ashbacher at cashbacher@mtmercy.edu.

Interested persons should also visit the Mathematical Association of America web page: www.maa.org.

Mount Mercy College Holds Its Tenth Annual High School Math Competition

On October 17^th, Mount Mercy College held its annual High School Mathematics Competition. Schools from throughout eastern Iowa competed. The top winner in the Large-School Division was Iowa City West High School. The first place winner in the Small-School Division was Center Point Urbana Community School District.

Click here to read the Mount Mercy College press release (as a PDF).

Area Schools Get Mini-Grants

Grant Wood AEA is pleased to announce that six area schools have been awarded mini-grants of $13,000 each to provide after-school programs to support instruction in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Click here to read the Grant Wood AEA Press Release (as a PDF).

Rockwell Collins Commits $1.3 Million to FIRST Programs for Young People

Corridor STEM Initiative partner Rockwell Collins has teamed up with FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) to increase the number of teams in the FIRST Lego League and the FIRST Tech Challenge in Iowa and across the nation. Rockwell is providing $1.3 million over the first two years.

Click here to read the Rockwell Press Release (as a PDF).

Culver Announces STEM Grant

The Cedar Rapids Gazette, Online Edition, has reported that Iowa Governor Chet Culver announced a grant targeted to STEM education. The extra 200,000(USD) will be administered by the Grant Wood Area Education Agency.

Read the complete article at the Gazette Online.

Engineering is Elementary

Kids are learning science this summer. The Cedar Rapids Community School District, Iowa State University Extension, and the Corridor STEM Initiative are sponsoring Engineering is Elementary summer learning camp for kids. Over 200 hundred local kids aged 7 to 12 have participated.

Read more at the Cedar Rapids Community School District web site here.

Mr. Wizard Passes Away

Don Herbert, TV's Mr.Wizard, has passed away at the age of 89.Through the fifties, early sixties, and the eighties, Mr. Wizard introduced countless children to the wonders and accessibility of science.

The Corridor STEM Initiative Web Site is Up

On June 11, 2007 the Corridor STEM Initiative web site went live. It is believed that this site will act as a portal for those wishing to improve STEM education.