(Students explore different states of matter)

STEM K12 3: School/program engages diverse STEM communities in order to support and sustain STEM programs and initiatives.

Impact Narrative:

Since its inception, community engagement has been a priority and strength at Kelly Mill Elementary. An initial goal has always been to provide engaging STEM programs and initiatives. Kelly Mill started its community engagement by actively seeking grants from our PTO and local businesses to support and sustain its STEM programming. In 2012, Kelly Mill received its first grant from Nordson to fund our science lab and STEM materials. Since receiving an initial allocation, Kelly Mill Elementary has sought many other grants to support STEM programs. Some examples include receiving the Education Foundation's Garden Grant and our local electric cooperative funding our Book of the Month program with STEM literature.

Career Day is also a great way to show students how STEM can help them become World Changers through whatever career path they choose. Since 2014, Career Day has created opportunities for community members to share with students how their careers consistently implement STEM components. These STEM influences have led to cross-cutting concepts within our programs and student service models. Our gifted program began a student-led school business in 2014, Sweet and Salty Shack. These students establish partnerships with local companies to ensure the sustainability of STEM engagement and support programs like student-led businesses. These models have led to more children school-wide using the student business model to seek opportunities through STEM. Our modified curriculum autism (MCA) class began our school store called The Horseshoe this school year. This business model reinforces adaptive, social, and language skills while exposing our special needs students to real-world applications of math and technology.

Kelly Mill will continue to nurture the evolution of student-led business models and programs by supporting our environment with STEM. Kelly Mill staff continue grant writing and raising funds toward the Creativity Playground and other STEM initiatives, contests, and competitions. We are always looking for STEM opportunities and will continue to do so with the idea that each partnership moves us toward a culture of STEM.

Initiatives/Actions/Artifacts:

• Sweet & Salty Shack Student Business

• Scrubbly Bubbly Business

• Scribble it Kids Online Business Website

• Scribble it Kids Business Proposal

• Horseshoe School Business

• Nordson Funding Science Lab News

• Education Foundation Grant Garden Bed Funding

• Terra-Cycle

• Small Dream Garden Grant

• American Academy of Dermatology

• Book of the Month

• Made by Milk Contest

• Siemens We Can Change the World

• Siemens We Can Change the World Student Video

• Scotty’s Trees Rock

• Career Day Form request

• Career Day Participants

• Career Day Video