IMSEP to host Iowa Moms Night Out for STEM Event
(CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – October 1, 2010) - The Iowa Math and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP) will be hosting Moms Night Out for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), a satellite event for the first USA Science and Engineering Festival, at 21 sites around the state on October 18, 2010.
Moms Night Out for STEM was a brainstorm by IMSEP and the Iowa State Engineering College to inspire primary caretakers, particularly moms, to get ‘hands on’ with their children’s math and science education. The premiere sponsor of this Iowa satellite event is John Deere.
Recent studies have indicated that primary caregivers help to shape the aptitudes and attitudes of their children toward mathematics and science. “Evidence continues to mount that point to moms (and dads) as key to the attitudes and decisions of youth when it comes to STEM careers,” says Jeff Weld, Director of IMSEP. “This satellite event in conjunction with the USA Science and Engineering Festival puts moms and dads right in the middle of the mix.”
Putting them in the middle of the mix will help to target those caregivers by giving them ways to educate their kids, kindergarten through sixth grade, in order to make math and science more fun and less daunting. Moms Night Out for STEM will feature hands on experiences with local teachers and researchers to show how math and science can be fun. It will also include items for parents to take home and use with their children.
“Iowa’s Moms Night Out satellite event is one of the most unique of the 50 events we’re doing,” says Larry Bock, Executive Director of the USA Science and Engineering Festival. “In Washington (D.C.), we focus so much on the kids, but if parents aren’t involved we lose so much. We can really learn a lot from what Iowa’s doing with Moms Night Out for STEM.”
Iowa Moms Night Out’s satellite event is part of others thrown across the nation in celebration of the first USA Science and Engineering Festival, to be held in Washington D.C. on October 23-24, 2010. Iowa is the only state attempting to do multiple events on one night. Locations around the state include museums, schools and libraries where moms can go to socialize and learn the best ways to inspire a love of math and science to their children. This free event is open to the public at various locations October 18, 2010, from 7-8:30 pm. To register for the event nearest you, visit www.IowaMathScience.org. Also check for Moms Night Out for STEM on Facebook to connect with others attending.
The Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP) is a state funded initiative led by the University of Northern Iowa in partnership with Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. IMSEP’s goals are to improve mathematics and science performance of Iowa students; to prepare more high quality mathematics and science teachers for Iowa’s schools; and to promote statewide collaboration and cooperation. For more information, please contact the IMSEP offices at (319) 273-2716, imsep@iowamathscience.org or visit www.iowamathscience.org.
Moms Night Out for STEM Participating Moms Night Out for STEM events.
Ames - Iowa State University College of Engineering – Marston Hall Atrium – ISU Campu; Camille Sloan Schroeder; camilles@iastate.edu; 515-294-9965
Ankeny - Iowa Labs Facility – DMACC Campus - 2006 S Ankeny Blvd; Pam Mollenhauer; Pamj-mollenhauer@uiowa.edu; 515-725-1654
Atlantic - Cass County Community Center– 805 W 10th St Susan Oliver – Cass County Extension smmck@iastate.edu 712-243-1132
Cedar Falls - Cedar Falls Public Library – 524 Main Street; Sheryl McGovern; Mcgovern.sheryl@gmail.com; 319.268.5541
Cedar Rapids - Rockwell Collins Child Development Center – 5245 Northland Ave. NE; Connie Schulte; CLSCHUL5@rockwellcollins.com; 319.295.4440
Coralville - Iowa Children’s Museum – 1451 Coral Ridge Ave; Deb Dunkhase; ddunkhas@theicm.org; 319.625. 6255 ext. 210
Davenport - The Putnam Museum – 1717 W. 12th St.; Nichole Myles; myles@putnam.org; 563.324.1054
Des Moines - The Science Center of Iowa – 401 West MLK Jr. Pkwy; Jennifer Reynolds; jenniferr@sciowa.org; 515.274.6868 ext. 203
Greenfield - Greenfield Public Library – 202 South 1st Street; Deb Hall; debhall@iastate.edu; 641.743.8412
Holstein - Holstein School – 519 E Maple Street; Rita Frahm, Ida County Economic Development; ritafrahm@heritageiowa.com; 712.371.9438
Johnston - Iowa Public Television – 6450 Corporate Drive; Tiffany DeJager; tiffany.dejager@iptv.org; 515.242.5421
Milford - Iowa Lakeside Laboratory – Dickinson County 1838 HWY 86; Milford; Jane Shuttleworth; jane-shuttleworth@uiowa.edu; 712.337.3669 ext. 7
Mount Vernon - Mount Vernon Community Center – 221 First Street NE Ted Neal ted-neal@uiowa.edu 319.560.5401
Muscatine - Stanley Consultants Auditorium – 225 Iowa Avenue Nancy Shell ShellNancy@stanleygroup.com 563.264.6428
North Liberty - North Liberty Community Center– 520 West Cherry Street Nicole Knapp Nicole.Knapp@fpl.com 319.360.8653
Ottumwa - Indian Hills Community College – Efner Academic Hall/Arts & Sciences Center; Marsha Parker; ParkerMarshaJ@JohnDeere.com; 641.683.2494
Sioux City - Sioux City Public Library Morningside Branch – 4005 Morningside Avenue; Jeanette Bobeen; jbobeen@siouxcitylibrary.org; 712.255.2933 ext. 231
Storm Lake - Storm Lake Public Library – 609 Cayuga Street; Elizabeth Huff; elizabeth.huff@stormlake.lib.ia.us; 712.732.8026
Waterloo - George Washington Carver Academy – 1505 Logan Avenue; Albert Wiggins; wigginsa@waterloo.k12.ia.us; 319.433.2501
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