Idaho STEM Action Center isfinalist in STEM Coalition Challenge

The Idaho STEM Action Center is one of 15 STEM Coalition Challenge finalists.

This competition is for communities across the country to develop cross-sector partnerships to bring quality hands-on STEM mentoring and maker-centered learning to underrepresented students.

The Challenge received 92 applications from 82 communities across 35 states, representing more than 1,800 nonprofits, companies, school districts and local government partners.

Finalists were evaluated based on their potential for impact, approach to partnership building, creative engagement strategies and sustainability planning.

In addition to the Idaho STEM Action Center, the finalists are:

Allendale, S.C. — Promise Zone Collaboration/SRS Community Reuse Organization Region Atlanta, Ga. — United Way of Greater Atlanta Brooklyn, N.Y. — Pratt Institute Buffalo, N.Y. — Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership (ISEP) Chicago, Ill. — Project Exploration Cincinnati, Ohio — Greater Cincinnati STEM Collaborative The Dalles, Ore. — Columbia Gorge STEM Hub Colorado — Colorado STEM Coalition Detroit, Mich. — Michigan Science Center Downey, Calif. — Columbia Memorial Space Science Learning Center Foundation Pittsburgh, Pa. — Remake Learning South San Francisco, Calif. — California Academy of Sciences/Bay Area STEM Ecosystem Socorro, N.M. — New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Washington, D.C. — DC STEM Network

These finalists will now move forward to compete for $1 million in resources to implement their strategies.

They will also gather on Jan. 31 for the STEM Collaboratory, a two-day workshop in Pittsburgh, Penn., where STEM experts and creative community builders will join them.

Winners will be announced in Spring 2018.