US2020 Honors National STEM Award Winners, Announces New Name

CINCINNATI, OH, August 8, 2019 – US2020, a division of Citizen Schools that partners with communities to dramatically scale the number of STEM professionals mentoring and teaching underrepresented youth, announced the winners of its fourth annual US2020 STEM Mentoring + Making Awards today. Presented by sponsors, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the awards are a national platform to celebrate and encourage exceptional work in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) mentoring and maker-centered learning. At the annual convening, US2020 also unveiled a brand refresh, starting with a new name, Makers + Mentors Network, to reflect the growth of the national STEM initiative.

295 Organizations and Partners Step Up to Support Maker Centered Learning through Citizen Schools’ Make For All Initiative

On June 14th, the Make For All initiative led by Citizen Schools announced more than 50 commitments- new partnerships, initiatives and programs in support of maker-centered learning. These commitments will reach more than 768,000 students over the next three years and span across 149 communities. Organizations and partners making commitments include K-12 schools, community colleges, universities, companies, makerspaces, museums, libraries, non-profit organizations and cities.

US2020 Launches 4th Annual STEM Mentoring + Making Awards

CINCINNATI, OH – Today, with continued support from founding sponsor, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), US2020 announced the 4th annual STEM Mentoring + Making Awards. The awards are a national platform to celebrate and encourage exceptional work in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) mentoring. This year, US2020 has incorporated making into the title to reflect the growing interest and excitement around the maker-centered learning across the country. Learn more about this year’s awards and how to apply here.

Press Release, US2020Megan SalgadoMarch 29, 2019US2020 STEM Mentoring Award

Bringing a ‘maker mindset’ to the future of work

Maker-centered learning teaches life skills — critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. Other aspects of education encourage and cultivate these skills in students, but one of the unique things about maker-centered learning is that it teaches students these particular skills in an interdisciplinary way.

US2020, Media CoverageGuest UserFebruary 19, 2019Make For All, Maker Mindset, Maker Movement

Makerspace Ecosystem Summit for College Educators April 24-26 in Irvine, CA

The California Community College Makerspace initiative (CCC Maker) has partnered with the National Association of Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) to present make/SHIFT -- the Makerspace Ecosystem Summit in Irvine, CA on April 24-26. Registration is open for make/SHIFT and early bird discounts are available through February 28.

Media Coverage, US2020Guest UserFebruary 11, 2019maker centered learning, MakerSpace, California

22 Members of the City Network Gather at US2020 Fall Convening

This week, US2020 hosted their tenth bi-annual City Network Convening in Downey, CA, at the Columbia Memorial Space Center. This convening marked the first time representatives from all 22 communities were together since the STEM Coalition Challenge winners and finalists were announced earlier this year.

Educating the Future Generation: Organizations Earn Grants For STEM Outreach Programs

Students in rural and low-income communities will soon have access to experiential learning experiences, one-on-one hands mentoring and STEM education through a $1 million program called the US2020 STEM Coalition Challenge.

Empowering More Students to Be Makers is an Investment in Our Future

Last year, US2020 launched the STEM Coalition Challenge, with support from Schmidt Futures and the Arconic Foundation. The Challenge was a competition for communities across the country to develop cross-sector partnerships to bring quality hands-on maker-centered learning to underrepresented students at scale through STEM mentorship. More than 90 communities participated, signalling a significant need and demand for the tools, resources, programs and support that will help schools, libraries, museums and other youth-serving organizations engage students in maker centered learning with mentors.

Project Exploration Wins 2018 STEM Coalition Challenge

Project Exploration was selected from 92 applications from 82 communities across 35 states, representing more than 1,800 nonprofits, companies, school districts, and local government partners. Project Exploration (PE) is honored to have been selected as a finalist in the US2020 Challenge. As a finalist, Project Exploration sent representatives, Natasha Smith-Walker and Kelsey Galante, to attend the US2020 Collaboratory in Pittsburgh in February 2018.

Idaho STEM Action Center Wins $50,000 Grant for Mentorship Program

The Idaho STEM Action Center, an agency added to the Governor's Office in 2015 to give Idaho students more access to and guidance in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, announced today that it is one of eight winners of the US2020 STEM Coalition Challenge. The challenge, which is a nationwide competition that rewards programs bringing STEM "mentoring and maker-centered learning" to underserved students, splits $1 million in cash and support among chosen STEM-related agencies, companies and nonprofits. The Idaho STEM Action Center is slated to receive a $50,000 cash award.

US2020 Announces Winners of STEM Coalition Challenge

Eight winners were selected from a pool of nearly 100 communities representing close to 2,000 partners across 35 states looking to bring more STEM mentorship and maker-centered learning opportunities to students across the country in creative and compelling ways.

With a Challenge, US2020 Spurs Effort to Bring New Learning Models to Low-Income Schools

Eight community organizations from across the nation were recognized today at the Maker Faire in San Mateo, California for developing innovative models to scale STEM mentorship and maker-centered learning experiences for students in low-income communities.

Buffalo science education initiative a winner in national STEM Coalition Challenge

Buffalo’s Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership (ISEP) is one of eight groups from across the country named by US2020 as a winner of the 2018 STEM Coalition Challenge, a competition for communities nationwide to bring hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) mentoring and maker-centered learning to underrepresented students.

US2020 STEM Collaboratory Hosts 15 Finalists in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

On January 31, 2018, US2020 hosted the STEM Collaboratory event in Pittsburgh. This unique gathering, sponsored by Arconic Foundation, brought together the 15 finalist communities of the US2020 STEM Coalition Challenge The initial intent behind the STEM Collaboratory was to provide competing teams a chance to connect with experts and refine their ideas — it turned out to be so much more.

TD a top finalist for STEM grant

The Dalles is a top-15 finalist nationwide for a grant that could potentially hire two full-time employees to help bring hands-on STEM mentoring and projects to local students. US2020 announced the finalists in its STEM Coalition Challenge in January, and the top eight applicants will share around $1 million in grant awards. The finalists were selected based on their potential for impact, approach to partnership building, creative engagement strategies and sustainability planning, according to US2020. The goal of the challenge is to bring STEM mentorship and hands-on experiences to underrepresented students. The challenge received proposals from 92 communities, representing nearly 2,000 partners.

Media Coverage, US2020, CaliforniaNeita CecilFebruary 28, 2018US2020, STEM hub, STEM Coalition Challenge, grant

Pratt Institute Named a Finalist in US2020 STEM Coalition Challenge

Pratt Institute has been selected as one of 15 finalists for the US2020 STEM Coalition Challenge, a competition for communities across the United States to develop cross-sector partnerships and bridge the opportunity gap by bringing hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) mentoring and maker-centered learning to underrepresented youth. Eight winners, to be selected in spring 2018, will receive two years of financial, consulting, and staff support in order to implement the initiative.

Media Coverage, US2020Pratt InstituteJanuary 29, 2018STEM, 2013 White House Science Fair, k-12 education

Columbia Gorge STEM Hub announced as finalist in award challenge

US2020 announces 15 finalists, including the Columbia Gorge STEM Hub in The Dalles, for the STEM Coalition Challenge, a competition for communities across the country to develop cross-sector partnerships to bring quality hands-on STEM mentoring and maker-centered learning to underrepresented students. These finalists will now move forward to compete for $1 million in resources to implement their bold strategies, representing some of the most innovative approaches to tackling the opportunity gap through STEM, stated a press release.

Media Coverage, US2020Hood River NewsJanuary 24, 2018US2020

Front Porch: Idaho STEM Action Center heading to STEM Coalition Challenge

US2020, part of the national nonprofit Citizen Schools that focuses on building up America’s STEM programs, has announced that the Idaho STEM Action Center is one of the 15 finalists for its STEM Coalition Challenge. The STEM Action Center was chosen through an application process, where it was evaluated based on its “potential for impact, approach to partnership building, creative engagement strategies and sustainability planning,” according to a press release.

US2020, Media CoverageElizabeth ThomasJanuary 21, 2018us2020, STEM, Nampa, Idaho, Debate, Citizen, American Legion

US2020 STEM Coalition Challenge Receives 92 Applications from 35 states

On November 17, 2017, over 92 communities in 35 states across the country responded to the US STEM Coalition Challenge, an initiative to build cross-sector partnerships to bridge the opportunity gap and bring more STEM mentorship and maker-centered learning opportunities to students underrepresented in the STEM workforce.

National, US2020Whitney BuckleyDecember 19, 2017US2020, STEM Coalition Challenge

US2020 honors Science Center, more with STEM awards

The University City Science Center is among the Philadelphia area organizations to receive a national recognition Tuesday morning when US2020 announced it is the recipient of its third annual STEM Mentoring Awards.

The Science Center, Steppingstone Scholars Inc. and Spark are among those honored Tuesday by US2020, a division of the national nonprofit Citizen Schools developed following a White House call to foster science, technology, engineering and math [STEM] professionals.

Media Coverage, US2020Alison BurdoOctober 11, 2017US2020 STEM Mentoring Award, US2020

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