FYI,

The NJ STEM Pathways Network (NJSPN) has dedicated March as NJ STEM Month over the past number of years. They have a STEM mini-grant opportunity you might want to take advantage of if you’re doing any STEM workshops in March 2022 (such as for NJMakersDay or Leap into Science if you’re been trained on that curriculum). Those can count toward a NJ STEM Month activity.

The NJ STEM Pathways Network will award up to $500 in grant funds to organizations hosting NJ STEM Month events. They are looking for events that will impact as many learners as possible, are STEM-related, and are held during March 2022. Here’s the grant application. For ideas on events, here are the mini-grant stories from NJ STEM Month 2021.

NJ Stem Pathways Network is always looking for examples of organizations, including public and school libraries, and afterschool organizations who are offering STEM programming for their communities. They invite anyone to share their STEM activities/events on their calendar. I know some of you might be aware of them and have already added events to their calendar in the past. Any of your STEM workshops that you plan to do in March, particularly on NJMakersDay, can be added to their calendar. Here’s their NJ STEM Month Official Calendar that you can post your events on. They ask that you include the official NJ STEM Month logo to publicize any STEM event in March. You can download the logo on the official NJ STEM Month webpage.

Here are several other ways you can piggyback your STEM event with the NJ STEM Month activities by using social media to publicize your program and NJ STEM Month:

• Twitter Contest: Follow @NJSTEMPathways and use #NJSTEMMonth,  the official hashtag of NJ STEM Month, and NJSPN asks that you use this early and often to support NJ STEM Month.  They also have a contest with prizes for anyone who tweets to support #NJSTEMMonth.  Everyone who uses #NJSTEMonth will be entered to win a prize; winners will be selected randomly.
• Virtual STEM Showcase: Each year NJSPN showcases STEM work from across the state to state policymakers. Because of COVID, they have done this virtually via an online book: here is 2021’s.  They encourage any and all groups to submit their work to be highlighted using this link.

The New Jersey STEM Pathways Network is a strategic public-private alliance, established in 2014 by the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, to define and guide a STEM vision for cradle to career pathways in New Jersey. The NJSPN is chaired by Laura Overdeck, Chair of the Overdeck Family Foundation and Founder of Bedtime Math and is managed by the Research & Development Council of New Jersey. The NJSPN aims to attract, cultivate and retain a 21st century workforce in New Jersey, ensuring the state remains a top global competitor in STEM industry and continues its rich history of innovation.

If you have any questions, just let me know.

Thanks.

All the best,

Sharon Rawlins, MLS, she/her/hers

Youth Services Specialist for Lifelong Learning

NJ State Library

185 West State St.

P.O. Box 520

Trenton, NJ 08625-0520

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609-278-2640 ext. 116

609-278-2650 – fax