University of Cincinnati foundation - STEM Collaborative
51 Goodman Drive, Suite 100, P.O. Box 19970
Cincinnati, OH 45219
Greater Cincinnati Stem Collaborative: 3d Printers Club and STEM Bicycle Club
Grant Application:
The 3d Printers and STEM Bicycle Clubs expand students’ problem-solving skills and expose them to STEM career possibilities by engaging them in fun, hands-on work with coaches and mentors. These 10-week programs immerse students in the design process as they either use 3D printers to solve problems they’ve identified in their community or reverse engineer a new bicycle that they get to ride home when finished. Both programs strengthen critical thinking and resiliency skills as the students follow curricula that reinforce math and science principles taught during the school day. GCSC partners most with high-need and under-resourced schools and encourages club leaders to seek students underrepresented in STEM fields (low-income students, girls, and students of color – notably, African American and students of Hispanic/Latino origin) as their clubs’ participants. GCSC is requesting $25,000 to support these two STEM learning programs, which will directly serve 600 total students in Greater Cincinnati.
2021-22 Goals:
1. High-quality K-12 STEM learning continues during the 2021-22 school year that involves both in-school and after-school learning.
2. Students increase their problem-solving, making, technical, and collaboration skills. They become more confident in their ability to pursue, and have more positive attitudes toward, STEM learning.
3. Empower more families to support their children in STEM. Build families’ interest, confidence, and skills to support their students to learn STEM and prepare for STEM futures.
4. Support teachers with high-quality, student- and family-engaging resources that support at-home, hands-on STEM learning.
5. Business and other volunteers, despite heavy in-person, COVID-driven restrictions from school districts and employers, still meaningfully engage with students. GCSC programs support volunteers to connect with students in innovative ways during COVID-19 to help inspire students to pursue STEM learning and careers.
All GCSC programs build students’ confidence, problem-solving and technical skills, and awareness of STEM career opportunities. (See https://greatercincystem.org/.) Other over-arching GCSC objectives include:
1. High-quality STEM experiences are more available for students under-represented in STEM: lower-income students, students of color (African American, Hispanic/Latino, Mixed Race) and girls.
2. More educators and families improve their skills and confidence nurturing student STEM learning and interest.
3. More and stronger partnerships are forged to benefit students, schools, and communities.
4. Students under-represented in STEM are over-represented in GCSC programs.
Grant Evaluation Report:
During the 2021-2022 school year, GCSC programming made significant strides toward pre-COVID club impact and features. For the first time since the 2018-2019 school year, GCSC was able to host in-person culminating events for clubs: 3d Printers Club Showcase in March and STEM Bicycle Club Celebration in May. Both events hosted about 200 people, primarily club students, with club leaders, volunteers, and families also in attendance. Celebrating student success and allowing students to connect across clubs is a main focus of these events and it was an important step toward a new “normal” to bring these events, which leaders and students look forward to, back in-person.
This year’s post-club surveys from both students and club leaders show a return to program impact statistics closer to what was seen pre-COVID. Compared to the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years, students who participated in the 2021-2022 3d Printers and STEM Bicycle Clubs agreed at a higher percentage that they learned about design and making, improved technology skills, can use problem solving skills learned during the clubs, and gained confidence and interest in STEM as a result of participating in the club.
Although GCSC served a smaller number of students than originally projected, the clubs that did participate this year are longstanding partners that were excited to reengage with GCSC and the broader STEM network. The difficulties new clubs faced allow GCSC to look introspectively at how to better support these club leaders and students. Changes will be made moving forward in terms of amount of meaningful communication touch points that newer clubs receive to ensure they feel supported and comfortable reaching to GCSC with problems. Overall, GCSC is proud of the 2021-2022 club year and feedback from club partners shows the importance of programming options.
Results:
During the 2021-2022 school year, GCSC was able to serve over 350 students in the Tristate area through the 10-week, at-school, afterschool 3d Printers and STEM Bicycle Clubs.
• Over 220 students from 14 Greater Cincinnati area schools participated in the 3d Printers Club.
• Over 160 students from 13 Greater Cincinnati area schools participated in the STEM Bicycle Club.
The 3d Printers and STEM Bicycle Clubs support students to increase problem solving, design, making, technical, and critical thinking skills while becoming more confident in their STEM knowledge and gain more positive attitudes about STEM. Across both clubs, over 80% of students reported they learned about design and making and can use skills they learned in the club to create solutions and solve problems. Over 65% of students reported their technology skills improved and that they are more confident and more interested in STEM as a result of being in the 3d Printers and STEM Bicycle Clubs. 100% of club leaders across both clubs agreed or strongly agreed that their students learned about design and making, increased technology skills, can use skills learned in the club to create solutions and solve problems, are more confident, and more interested in STEM as a result of their participation in the clubs.
Amount: $20,000
Date: October 2021
