What is STEM Connect-KC?
STEM-Connect KC is a collective effort to make it easier for the Kansas City community to find STEM and related programs and events and for KC-area STEAM providers to connect and network. It includes three components:
1. A searchable events/opportunities calendar
2. A searchable directory of STEM program providers and organizations that support STEM education
3. A monthly e-newsletter
How do I include my programs in STEM Connect-KC?
Share your organization’s details here. We will add the information to the directory and send to you to review. You can submit items to the events calendar with this form.
Who runs STEM Connect-KC?
This is a collective effort from Kansas City’s STEM learning ecosystem and is managed by staff at the KC STEM Alliance.
What is STEM?
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. But STEM education is far more than just sticking those subject titles together. It’s a philosophy of education that embraces teaching skills and subjects in an a way that resembles real life. With STEM, we are teaching skills the way they will be used in the workforce, and the real world. STEM skills include learning how to solve problems, be creative and innovative, think logically and work together.
Why does STEM education matter?
In the years ahead, STEM fields are projected to grow about twice as fast as others, with many of these careers commanding high pay. Jobs within STEM industries cover a huge range—some requiring traditional four-year degrees and others industry certifications or community college programs.
STEM skills have become increasingly essential for just about every industry, including Kansas City’s engineering, architecture, technology, biomedical and health care organizations.
At its core, STEM is about solving real-world problems. Mastering basic STEM skills helps students thrive in today’s world no matter which career path they pursue.
Why don’t you call it STEAM, STREAM, STEM-H, STEMM or … HAMSTER?
Perhaps it’s only natural that a single acronym is sometimes inadequate for expressing a philosophical approach of integrating learning across subject areas. As government and business leaders began championing the power of STEM and focus on equipping students with these skills, other acronyms emerged:
STEAM (adding an A for the arts)
STREAM (adding the R for reading or religion, in some cases)
STEMM (adding the M for medicine)
STEM-H (adding the H for health)
HAMSTER (Humanities, Arts, Math, Science, Technology, Engineering, Reading)
We stick with STEM to keep it simple but wholeheartedly endorse the philosophy of integrating all subject areas, including the arts, into a more holistic, relevant, learning process.
