STEMACT Connects with Regional STEM Leaders at DegenSTEAM Sense-Makers Gathering
Cross-state gathering highlights the power of collaboration, creativity, and shared learning in building strong STEM learning ecosystems
STEMACT Founder and Executive Director Cheryl Tokarski recently joined educators, makers, artists, researchers, and community leaders in Pennsylvania for the DegenSTEAM Sense-Makers Gathering, an opportunity to connect with others working to strengthen STEM learning and engagement in their communities.
The gathering brought together participants from different sectors and perspectives to explore how play, creativity, technology, community, and human connection can shape meaningful learning experiences. Through collaborative conversations and hands-on experiences, participants had opportunities to exchange ideas, consider new approaches, and learn from the work taking place across different communities.
A central theme throughout the gathering was that meaningful learning is deeply human and relational. Creating environments where young people can ask questions, experiment, create, make meaning, and learn with and from others can help cultivate not only STEM knowledge, but also curiosity, creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and a sense of belonging.
Learning Across STEM Ecosystems
While every community and region has its own strengths, challenges, and opportunities, gatherings such as DegenSTEAM provide an important opportunity for STEM leaders to learn across geographic and organizational boundaries.
Strong STEM learning ecosystems depend on connections among schools and districts, higher education, industry, workforce partners, nonprofits, community organizations, families, and others invested in the future of young people. Bringing those perspectives together can surface new ideas, reveal shared challenges, and help communities learn from approaches being developed elsewhere.
Following the gathering, Tokarski joined Mark Burke of MYNDSET for a podcast conversation reflecting on the experience and discussing the broader work of building connected STEM learning ecosystems.
STEMACT Perspective
The DegenSTEAM experience reinforces a principle at the heart of STEMACT's work in Connecticut: none of us can do this work alone.
Building meaningful STEM opportunities for young people requires more than individual programs or organizations working independently. It requires an ecosystem in which partners can connect, share what they are learning, identify opportunities for collaboration, and strengthen one another's capacity.
Learning from similar efforts beyond Connecticut is an important part of that work. By exchanging ideas and experiences with STEM leaders in other states and regions, we can bring new perspectives back to Connecticut while also contributing what we are learning as our own statewide STEM learning ecosystem continues to grow.
These connections remind us that building an ecosystem is itself a learning process. The more we connect, listen, share, and learn from one another, the stronger our collective ability becomes to create meaningful STEM learning opportunities for all young people.
Listen to the Conversation
Hear more about the DegenSTEAM Sense-Makers Gathering and the conversation with Mark Burke of MYNDSET:
Learn more about DegenSTEAM and its work to strengthen connections and STEM learning in Pennsylvania: