Education

Full STEM Ahead

Science, technology, engineering and math alliances prepare students for success.

The Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance recently hosted a regional science fair that included 68 participants. Photo courtesy TRSA Whether it’s the development of new medicines or the construction of cities – science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) shape the future, and the need for a STEM-ready workforce continues to grow.

To help ll this gap, the Central Oklahoma Regional STEM Alliance (COSTEMA) and the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance (TRSA) work at the grass roots level to o er programming for youth and families, professional development for educators, and resources to their ecosystem partners.

“STEM is a particular tool that many more of us need access to because it can create good in the world,” says Levi Patrick, chief executive o cer at TRSA. “I feel like we’ve got something very powerful here in Tulsa that will bene t the state.”

Both alliances share similar missions that center on building broad, deep and innovative STEM pathways for all students to access high-impact careers. In 2021, the TRSA provided training to over 1,000 educators and created over 170,000 STEM experiences for students, including virtual programming and free STEM-in-a-bag kits. is year, the alliance will lead 53 programs, including a drone competition, a kite festival and an event dubbed Space Week.

“Last year, we had 40,000 kids come through di erent events during Space Week,” says Patrick. “Maybe they can meet an astronaut. Maybe they can go to panel. It’s really quite a remarkable experience.” Another one of TRSA’s agship programs is its annual Tulsa Regional Science Fair, which concluded in March with a total of 68 partici-

A Bit of pants. Submissions ran the gamut, from experiments that tested cor-

History relations between learning styles and personality traits to the e ects Although TRSA has of serotonin and vitamin D3 on grown into a force of Alzheimer’s in fruit ies. its own, the organiza- As the demand for STEM education originated from a small-scale community project led by the Oklahoma Innovation tion increases, the TRSA has begun implementing a new 3-year strategy, which will focus on making its programming more accessible and strengthening its ecosystems of Institute in 2012. Over partners. the years, the project “We are trying to reach [kids] received more sup- more than ever, wherever they may port, and it became be in our community, and give them a nonprofit in 2017. access to ambitious learning opporSimilarly, COSTEMA tunities,” says Patrick. evolved from the As a part of its strategy, the TRSA Stem Funders Network, and it gained autonomy in 2016. will set up a STEM classroom at the Tandy Family YMCA, where students can get hands-on learning, and teachers can check out supplies for

“We’ve exceeded their classrooms, such as LEGOs, over 500 community anatomy models and science kits. members,” says Pat- To celebrate this development, rick. “Our communi- the TRSA will hold an open house ties around Tulsa … in June. Interested families and value STEM educa- educators can learn more about the tion and creating upcoming event at tulsastem.org/ opportunities for kids. openhouse. I think it’s the secret sauce – that a whole lot of people care.” “I hope that every community can bene t from what we’re doing,” says Patrick. “STEM is everyone. STEM is everywhere. All are welcome.” FAITH HARL