SummerSTEM

Connecting Educators with STEM Professionals to Enhance Instruction in Wake County Public Schools

SummerSTEM is a collaboration between WakeEd Partnership, the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), and numerous STEM businesses and organizations in North Carolina. This eight-day professional development program exists to enrich the educator’s understanding of the knowledge and skills that are necessary to succeed in STEM careers.

During SummerSTEM, one-hundred educators from WCPSS schools engage in hands-on experiences designed to bring real-world lessons to the classroom.

For one week during the summer, they are immersed in STEM organizations to experience industry practices and in Wake Technical Community College classrooms to experience college-level applied STEM instruction. Throughout the year, mentors coach SummerSTEM educators in lesson design and project-based learning.

WAKE COUNTY TEACHERS:

APPLY FOR SUMMERSTEM 2020-2021

SummerSTEM 2020 will be a unique VIRTUAL experience, blending synchronous and asynchronous learning that integrates project-based learning with career immersions that include direct engagement with professionals in leading RTP industries. Applications Due June 15th.

Apply Now

What is SummerSTEM?

Professional Development for Educators

Direct instruction in project-based learning
Investigation in community college instruction in applied STEM fields
Immersion in STEM work settings with STEM professionals
Coaching in lesson design using feedback protocols
Leadership experiences aligned with National Teacher Leader Model Standards

Community Engagement for Businesses

Create interactive immersion experiences for educators that demonstrate the relationship between the classroom and the business world
Support educators as they implement their SummerSTEM experiences into their classrooms
Become a program sponsor so that more educators can attend SummerSTEM

SummerSTEM 2019 Host Sites

SummerSTEM Impact

of Wake County Public Schools

Participated in SummerSTEM

Wake County Students

Directly Impacted by SummerSTEM Teachers

Wake County Schools

Participated in SummerSTEM

Professional Development that Changes Teaching and Improves Learning

In December 2018, Amy Germuth published an article in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Teacher Leadership, describing WakeEd Partnership’s SummerSTEM program as a model for effective professional development for educators in North Carolina’s largest school district.

Read Report

STEMPOSIUM 2020

Explore our Virtual STEMposium

WakeEd’s SummerSTEM program empowered 100 K-12 teachers to bring real-world lessons to the classroom through partnerships with leading STEM organization in the Triangle. Join us online to “meet” some of the inspired educators and dedicated business partners who are going above and beyond for Wake County students.

Virtual STEMposium

Presented By

In Partnership With

SummerSTEM News

STEM education or educated companies? We need both.

Mar 31, 2020

When it comes to careers in STEM, we need more women involved. According to the World Economic Forum, in science alone, less than 30% of the world’s researchers are women and this under-representation occurs in every region in the world.

Learning to Treasure Wild Ducks with IBM

Jul 27, 2018

There is a saying, “treasure your wild ducks,” meaning value the outside-the-box thinkers and those who will try new things to push the envelope. IBM strives to live by this philosophy as they implement Agile and Design Thinking.

Opening “Circuits” of Understanding with Wake Tech

Jul 27, 2018

Have you ever thought about learning as a circuit? Our Wake Technical Community College experience today involved us experiencing how electrical circuits are created.

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Get Involved

Teachers

Teams of two educators apply to participate. School administrators complete a portion of the application to demonstrate support for their teams. Applications open in early to mid-spring.