Depth and Breadth of Impact on the Community

Impact Under-represented in STEM

The project aims to impact residents of rural areas, as these communities often have fewer traditional science engagements compared to urban areas in STEM fields. This program promoted the solar eclipse to thousands of educators, enabling them to connect their students to an event of significant scientific importance and instill a sense of wonder and excitement for exploration and discovery. It also provided youth with direct access to online activities, books, videos, and games. Furthermore, teachers were offered opportunities for free professional development, access to complimentary supplies, and free classroom materials.

Project Timeline

Project Timeline

• October 2023- Applied for Mini Grant

• November 2023- Began designing the WVSU CASTEM Solar Eclipse 2024 newsletters.

• December 2023 - Emailed the first newsletter with the website announcement. Began designing the website.

• January 2024 - Invitation to Dr. Telepun Professional Development (Solar Eclipse book giveaway)

• February 6, 2024- Invitation to Digital Starlab Training with Chris Vaughan (Solar Eclipse book giveaway)

• February 9, 2024- Dr. Telepun's Professional Development

• February 15, 2024 - Emailed a follow-up *2nd newsletter with the published website link and offered to provide classroom grab bags. Order the supplies/materials for the grab bags.

• February 26, 2024- Digital Starlab Training w/Chris Vaughan

• March 15, 2024 ( released 3/8 because of unveiling the new website 3/1/24). Order and send the free items during this period. 

• March 20, 2024  Seminar at the WVAE4-HA- Role of an Ambassador: Informing A Coalition

• April 8, 2024  Solar Eclipse Day

• April 1-20, 2024: Follow Up on with coordinators, teachers, etc 

• April 15-30, 2024- Final Newsletter with any impact statements or photographs as well as survey findings  (this has been moved back due to Starlab activity being scheduled out through June)

Artifacts

Final Tallies

3/24/24 Old website- 1,100 users with almost 7,000 viewing events.  By 4/8/24 there were 1,700 users with over 10,000 viewings. 

New website launched 3/8/24 - 305 users and almost 2000 viewing events. By 4/8/24 there were 1,100 users with over 7, 000 viewings. 

Positive Takeaways from the Qualtrics Survey

We had 15 people take the survey and the responses were overwhelmingly positive in regards to the speaker and the content.    When asked, "How well did you like the PD training?"  one hundred percent of the respondents selected "I liked it a lot!"  With the question "Rate how satisfied you are with the speaker,"  73% chose "extremely satisfied", and the remaining 27% chose "very satisfied."  The same percentages were received for the question "Rate how satisfied you are with the powerpoint slides."  When asked what could be done to improve the presentation, most people said that nothing further was required.  One person responded that they would have liked to have the powerpoint slides ahead of time so they could have taken notes.  Response: we provided a copy of the recording so that may have helped and we also provided the book to the respondents that took the survey. 

WVSU PowerPoint Presentation - We were not given Dr. Telepun's presentation due to the copyright issues. 

Acting as STEM Ambassadors, the WV Solar Eclipse 2024 project’s overall objective was to reach a large audience of underrepresented youth in rural areas. To do this we created periodic newsletters to build excitement amongst educators, then we created a multimedia resource hub with curriculum and activities that focused on exploration and discovery.  Finally, we provided free educational items to include eclipse glasses. This project impacted thousands of educators, it helped them prepare for the eclipse, allowing over 25,000 West Virginian youth to experience and investigate STEM connections by building on their innate wonderment and excitement of space.

~ Dissemination of Project Information

We presented at the WVAE4-HA Spring Conference.  Our objectives were as follows:

• Define and describe ambassador, partnership and coalition. 

• Explain the concepts behind the WVSU Solar Eclipse  project;  discuss the what, the why, the how.

• Explain the possible ways to form a coalition; provide examples from the project, explain how we recruited members, and the what, how and why of networking;

• Discuss email, social post and website strategies-review artifacts.

• Discuss ways to implement coalition project; best practices to communicate with coalition members, services such as training, and the need to be flexible.

• Explain  the assessment/evaluation strategies and review artifacts; discuss email and social post strategies, website analytics, Qualtrics surveys, AOS Forms-Multiplying Effect and discuss how the combination of instruments  provide information related to impact. 

• Summarize the project, explain what we have learned so far and how it will impact future projects. 

• Going Forward

To this end, we provided a pre and post poll question to determine impact.

1. What do you want to learn or get out of this conference?

A better understanding of how to form a successful coalition 

Community Development 

I am a seeker of information. I am interested in this program and anything I can learn. 

Better ways to partner with people outside of Extension. 

How to gain more community partners. 

Learn more about the topic 

How to better inform my stakeholders about what I do and how it impacts those I serve. 

2. What did you learn or get out of this conference?

Networking and how to be best at it 

Valuable information on forming partnerships and coalitions. Ideas on SMARTER goals. 

Partnership formation and collaboration with others within our community and organization to organization. 

Partnership cooperation and ways to reaffirm the partnerships you already have.

Better methods for communicating with partners and how to structure presenting  program before the program is launched.  

Great information about analytics, building demand, what an ambassador does, differences in types of groups and coalitions. 

Everyone has something they can give. Whether they are someone in a large or small position no matter what position or job they hold.

Based on the answers, without applied coding, it seems the overarching objective was met in that participants walked away with an understanding of networking, partnership and coalition formation and organization and how to build demand and gain usable analytics.  

~ Dissemination of Project Information

We presented at the WVAE4-HA Spring Conference.  Our objectives were as follows:

• Define and describe ambassador, partnership and coalition. 

• Explain the concepts behind the WVSU Solar Eclipse  project;  discuss the what, the why, the how.

• Explain the possible ways to form a coalition; provide examples from the project, explain how we recruited members, and the what, how and why of networking;

• Discuss email, social post and website strategies-review artifacts.

• Discuss ways to implement coalition project; best practices to communicate with coalition members, services such as training, and the need to be flexible.

• Explain  the assessment/evaluation strategies and review artifacts; discuss email and social post strategies, website analytics, Qualtrics surveys, AOS Forms-Multiplying Effect and discuss how the combination of instruments  provide information related to impact. 

• Summarize the project, explain what we have learned so far and how it will impact future projects. 

• Going Forward

To this end, we provided a pre and post poll question to determine impact.

1. What do you want to learn or get out of this conference?

A better understanding of how to form a successful coalition 

Community Development 

I am a seeker of information. I am interested in this program and anything I can learn. 

Better ways to partner with people outside of Extension. 

How to gain more community partners. 

Learn more about the topic 

How to better inform my stakeholders about what I do and how it impacts those I serve. 

2. What did you learn or get out of this conference?

Networking and how to be best at it 

Valuable information on forming partnerships and coalitions. Ideas on SMARTER goals. 

Partnership formation and collaboration with others within our community and organization to organization. 

Partnership cooperation and ways to reaffirm the partnerships you already have.

Better methods for communicating with partners and how to structure presenting  program before the program is launched.  

Great information about analytics, building demand, what an ambassador does, differences in types of groups and coalitions. 

Everyone has something they can give. Whether they are someone in a large or small position no matter what position or job they hold.

Based on the answers, without applied coding, it seems the overarching objective was met in that participants walked away with an understanding of networking, partnership and coalition formation and organization and how to build demand and gain usable analytics.  

It should be noted a major /tornado storm knocked out power in Kanawha and ten other counties and a state of emergency was called (the rest of the counties were in a "state of preparedness) the week the items were in transit. Many post offices/services was also shutdown fthat week; therefore, we again apologize for the inconvenience of lthe deliveries that were late.  

Please Explain your overall opinion.  

I thought the support for learning was wonderful and the eclipse glasses made it possible for students to safely view the eclipse 

Very thankful for help in making sure students watched the eclipse safely. 

I received UV Beads which I will use when the weather is warmer. 

I did not receive the beads in time to give to my students prior to Spring Break. 

I purchased solar eclipse glasses with personal funds so my students could view the eclipse safely. informative, concise, clear I ordered materials that never arrived and was not able to find safety glasses in time for the event. 

I liked the information provided but it was nothing I couldn't find on my own. 

We actually watched the NASA website to track 

The training was great and the students enjoyed learning! growth in awareness/interest I will put the materials to good use for years to come 

The WVSU/NASA team did an exceptional job of providing my students with knowledge about the Total Solar Eclipse. 

They also provided our community with knowledge and a balloon release project. I was extremely disappointed that NONE of the items I requested came to my class to support instruction about the eclipse. 

In August 21st, 2017 - I did a local Sol-ar Eclipse by myself with no support. 

When the first information came out, it was not specified that we would only be able to receive one type of item and that we would be limited in the amount of that item. 

Plus we received limited communication about the change in amount supplies we would receive very last minute, which made it difficult to plan 

To much confusion and poor communication. Did not get the item that I requested. 

Because we were able to give out solar eclipse glasses, more students were able to watch, ask and answer questions about the eclipse. 

I appreciate all of the resources that were made available to me and my students that might not have been available otherwise. 

I appreciated the information that was shared and the solar eclipse glasses for my students. Information was great, especially from PD standpoint I didn’t get the supplies until after the eclipse. I order upon receiving the very first email. 

Efforts to provide resources despite an overwhelming number of requests was fantastic. It was also appreciated that the supplies were sent to my home address instead of the school address due to the fact that we were on spring break. 

Newsletter 1 Email 661 sends 371 (60%) opens   37 ( 6%) clicks Social Media 212 Impressions 175 Reach 1 Engagement.

Newsletter 2 Email 1,602 sends 576 (40%) opens 102 ( 7%) clicks  Social Media  85 Impressions 64 Reach  3 Engagements.

Newsletter 3 Email 1,752 sends 636 (39%) opens 171 (11%) clicks Social Media Not sent.

Newsletter 4 Email 1,588 sends 646 (41%) opens 157 (10%) clicks Social Media Not sent.

Newsletters 1-3 –Partners Contacts 12,000 sends

Website 1 Users  1.7K  Event Counts 10K     Website 2 Users  1.1K  Event Counts  7.2K

___________________________________________________________

Dr. Telepun Training  69 Registrants +7 Non-Registrants = Total 76;  Attendees 34

Star lab Training  92 Registrants; Attendees 52  Star lab Activities 8 programs – 3472 youth 20 volunteers

Free Item Giveaway 223 Requests/28,105 Youth 255 Volunteers   Incentive (Telepun Book) 20/32= 52

Competitive Challenges: Texas Instruments and WVSGC NASA Space Plant - participant numbers unknown.

Conclusions we have rendered from the entirety of the project:

• What we have learned

  • Be flexible and add additional time to our projects for opportunities that come along.

  • Add funding for tangibles/ include partners that have resources for tangibles.

  • Educators want varied training opportunities.

• What we will do differently

  • • Include additional time for synergistic activities

    • Include partners in project ideation, drafting funding requests, and to share the workload

 i.e., deliverables, assessments, evaluations, etc.