TC STEM Partnership

The vision of the Tillamook County STEM Partnership is that all students in Tillamook County will have equal access to high-quality programs in the field & classroom that promote real-world problem solving.

In the early 2000’s, organizations in Tillamook County increased their efforts to provide outdoor experiences for the community’s students, focused on environmental science & stewardship. Since the early days of Children’s Clean Water Festival & Day at the Bay, partners have worked to help students create a sense of place, increase environmental & STEM literacy, & lay a foundation for a stewardship ethic. Building on those early successes, partners now offer more than 20 programs annually.

Recognizing that the programs are not reaching all students in Tillamook County, the Tillamook County STEM Partnership was formalized in 2019 to help expand participation & increase the capacity of the partner organizations. Currently the Partnership provides two county-wide field trips, offers programs for all K-8 TSD#9 students, & has begun expanding programs to include Neah-Kah-Nie & Nestucca Valley School Districts’ students.

The Tillamook County STEM Partnership is working to expand our programming to include all K-8 students in Tillamook County, evaluate current programs & barriers, develop a well-trained network of Science Coaches, & develop new partnerships with community partners.

Our accomplishments include:

• 23 Inquiry-based, STEM education programs offered

• All TSD#9 K-8 students participate in programs annually

• Garibaldi Grade School K-5 classes & Nestucca Valley Elementary Grade 1 class participating in 2020 programs

• 2 County-wide Field Trips

• 2 Venues stocked with program materials available by reservation

• Quarterly Science Coach trainings

• New partnerships with TBCC & OSU Open Campus

Exploring the unique and varied ecosystems of Tillamook County, discovering the special adaptations that help animals survive, building a working robot, learning the history of rockets then launching one - Tillamook County STEM Partnership offers programs that help students make connections to the world around them through hands-on experiences. Each field trip or in class program has been developed to meet Next Generation Science Standards and incorporate crosscutting concepts. Most include a science- or engineering- inquiry component. Activities are led by community Science Coaches and High School Students in the Natural Resources programs.