K-12 STEM Outreach | College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences | The University of Vermont(title)

CEMS students and faculty are dedicated to sharing their time, talents, and inspiration with students in K through 12. Below are some of the outreach events and opportunities in which we are proud to participate.

K-12 Programs

STEM Ambassador Program

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STEM Ambassadors

STEM Ambassadors are UVM students studying Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math, and trained to deliver experiential STEM activities to Vermont youth, both in-person and virtually. Their mission is to share the wonders of these fields, through hands-on learning experiences in the classroom, in afterschool programs and in other youth development programs, as well as through outreach at community events. STEM Ambassadors also connect Vermont youth to UVM campus resources through on-campus educational events, such as the STEM Showcase.

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Aiken Discover Engineering

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Discover Engineering

UVM's Aiken Discover Engineering brings together youth across Vermont to explore, celebrate, and tackle challenges around engineering and STEM. Throughout the month of February we will bring together a community of K-12 students, 4-H educators and constituents, teachers, UVM faculty and students, and the broader engineering community to engage in hands-on activities and learn more about the amazing engineering projects happening in our own state. 

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FIRST Tech Challenge

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FIRST Robotics Competition

Combining the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology. We call the FIRST Robotics Competition the ultimate Sport for the Mind. High-school student participants call it “the hardest fun you’ll ever have.” Under strict rules, limited resources, and an intense six-week time limit, teams of students are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, and build and program industrial-size robots to play a difficult field game against like-minded competitors. It’s as close to real-world engineering as a student can get. Volunteer professional mentors lend their time and talents to guide each team. Each season ends with an exciting FIRST Championship.

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Girls Who Code

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Girls Who Code

Girls Who Code is a non-profit organization founded by Reshma Saujani, a New York attorney and activist. During her primary campaign as a Congressional candidate for the 14th District of New York in 2010, she emerged as a strong advocate for closing the gender gap in computer science. She lost the race, but established Girls Who Code in 2012. The organization now claims over 8500 programs, clubs and summer immersion programs around the world.

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MathCounts

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MathCounts is NSPE’s national middle school coaching and competitive mathematics program that promotes mathematics achievement through a series of fun and engaging “bee” style contests. Since its inception in 1983, Vermont’s MathCounts program focuses on middle school students in their formative years to encourage them to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM). All students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades are eligible to participate in MathCounts. MathCounts provides three programs to schools — Competition Series, Math Clubs, and a Video Challenge contest.  Through these programs, Vermont MathCounts reaches approximately 500 middle school students throughout the state.

State Math Competition

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Beginning with the summer of 1993 and continuing on an annual basis, the Vermont State Mathematics Coalition in partnership with the University of Vermont and a consortium of sponsors from business, industry, and other organizations in Vermont, sponsored a one week residential Summer Enrichment Institute for thirty of the most talented secondary students in the state. Students in this unique program, held on the University of Vermont campus, have participated in a series of courses and seminars that took them far beyond their experience in high school mathematics and science courses, and engaged them in applications of mathematics and computing to a wide range of scientific and technological endeavors. In previous summers major topics included modern astronomy, dynamical systems and mathematical biology, operations research and decision theory, and statistical simulation. 

Governor's Institutes of Vermont (GIV)

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The Governor’s Institutes of Vermont creates fun, accelerated learning residencies on college campuses for Vermont teenagers and high schoolers. These learning tracks are called Institutes. Each Institute is unique and built around a single focus area.