 As the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation nears 25 years of serving northern New Mexico communities, it has decided to increase its focus on enhancing students' access to academic and technical opportunities leading to quality jobs by supporting the growth of college and career readiness in schools, districts, communities and Pueblos, Tribes and Nations. To lead this work, the Foundation is excited to announce the appointment of Alvin Warren as its new Vice President of Career Pathways and Advocacy.
“We have a tremendous treasure trove of human potential here in our region and it is our mission to help students and individuals cultivate their talents and skills so they can succeed in their careers and lives,” said President & CEO Jenny Parks. “I am confident that Alvin’s expertise and strong roots in the north will help our Foundation elevate these efforts and be a catalyst for greater grant-making, access to education, and social and economic growth in northern New Mexico.” Alvin is a lifelong northern New Mexican, a member of Santa Clara Pueblo and a 30-year resident of the Espanola Valley. As a Program Officer of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation since 2013, Alvin has been responsible for an extensive portfolio of grants and program-related investments in New Mexico. These investments focused on improving the economic well-being of underserved youth, individuals and families through supporting successful employment pathways and workforce training approaches, policy and systems change to increase workers’ wages and benefits and expansion of entrepreneur’s access to technical assistance and affordable capital. Alvin also worked to support innovative teacher recruitment and professional development models, the establishment of full- and dual-language immersion schools and the transformation of educational systems. Prior to working at the Kellogg Foundation, Alvin served as the cabinet secretary of Indian Affairs for the State of New Mexico, lieutenant governor of Santa Clara Pueblo and principal / executive vice president of Blue Stone Strategy Group. Additionally, Alvin will leverage his educational background as a graduate of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and Dartmouth College in his new role to passionately promote education in northern New Mexico and insist upon students receiving a culturally relevant, high-quality education. “I believe that every child in the North and across our state deserves to have the best array of academic and technical opportunities so they can pursue their interests, become self-sufficient and sustain the beautiful cultures of the communities we love,” said Alvin. “I am excited to take on this important role to help students along their trajectory into meaningful, livable-wage jobs and careers and am ready to be a strong advocate for the students, babies, and families of northern New Mexico.” About Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Foundation: Since 1997, the LANL Foundation has been investing in education, learning, and human potential in Northern New Mexico. Through our diverse programming and collaboration with key partners, we work to ensure that all New Mexicans have the skills and confidence they need to be self-sufficient, lifelong learners who are engaged in their communities. For more information visit: www.lanlfoundation.org
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NASEF taps its network of esports and learning professionals for daily online streams to give
students social connections and fun learning opportunities in a safe, moderated environment The North America Scholastic Esports Federation is launching free daily “Community Club” sessions for students beginning Monday, March 16 and continuing daily as needed. NASEF is tapping the collective expertise of its education, gaming, and social partners to present quality ongoing programming. The interactive online gatherings will provide fun activities, socialization with friends (without physical contact), development of game skills, and insights into the careers and lives of professionals working in the esports industry. Students and families can participate in the "Community Club" streams Monday -Friday. NASEF is working with Twitch to make the streams widely and freely available to NASEF's Twitch channel. The “Community Club” sessions are planned to run through March 27, but that will be extended if needed based on school closures. All streams will be monitored by UCI vetted professionals with experience working with teenage youth to ensure a positive and encouraging environment. The “Community Club” sessions are planned to run through March 27, but that will be extended if needed based on school closures. Gerald Solomon, founder of NASEF and executive director of the Samueli Foundation, said, “Given the present challenges and disruptions, we are eager to direct our philanthropy to provide the support that students and communities need even more today. While schools are closed, we’re shifting our focus from ‘competition to community’ for the benefit of students. NASEF will leverage its connection of play and passion and learning to ensure that our youth can continue to engage in esports-related activities, from esports play to Beyond the Game Challenges, in safe and meaningful ways.” For the past two years, NASEF has leveraged massive youth interest in esports to teach students STEM- based skills along with career options related to esports and extending to other industries. Students enjoy participating in NASEF’s popular esports tournaments and concurrently develop industry-needed skills like shoutcasting, marketing, event planning, artwork and design, data analytics, computer science and technology, and more. NASEF is a non-profit organization, and its programs are always provided free of charge to students and participating educators, whether through schools, the local library, or community groups like the YMCA and other youth development organizations. To accomplish this shift to meet the needs of our educational system, experts including Connected Camps professional esports coaches, UCIesports program, Orange County Dept of Education, plus educators from across the country. Popular esports influencers, professionals, streamers, and others who’d like to share their talents are invited to contact NASEF to discuss a presentation slot in the program) Sample topics for the Community Club activities include: • Minecraft Let’s Play + Community Agreements: While creating a new world on Minecraft, students will discuss (in chat) how to create a set of community agreements that make NASEF clubs stronger and more inclusive. • Tilt Management: Learn what separates a casual player from a professional esport athlete, and see how to train the mind to perform like the pros. • Tournament Design: What is the perfect tournament? Students will work together to select a game title, identify a tournament format, and put the finishing touches to create an event their peers love! • Beyond the Game challenges: Receive guidance for participation in these challenges that offer a chance to win scholarships while practicing esports career skills. • Community Game Night: Students will join the fun of an after-school esports club, online! Students may join NASEF coaches and interns in quick online matches of trivia, Pictionary, and other party games. In addition to the free daily Community Club streams, NASEF will also offer educators a free online Professional Development (PD) opportunity so that they can explore the possibilities of scholastic esports. “Many teachers who are interested in scholastic esports haven’t had time to explore the options and understand how engaging this is for students, the incredible learning opportunity esports present, and the number of free resources available from NASEF,” said Tom Turner, chief education officer of NASEF. “Certainly, teachers are going to be working to keep their students on track during the school closures, but without full classrooms to lead in-person, educators may also have an opportunity to explore other tools for their use to keep students engaged, today and in the future.” Under the Samueli Foundation’s leadership, NASEF is led by partners from the Orange County Department of Education, OC STEM Initiative, Connected Camps, Connected Learning Lab, UCI Esports, UCI Henry Samueli School of Engineering, and the UCI Bren School of Information & Computer Science. NASEF’s Community Club page: https://www.esportsfed.org/learning/community-club . events calendar The press release: https://www.esportsfed.org/news/press-room/nasef-community-club/ Note: All product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Due to the most recent updates regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and in the interest of supporting everyone’s health and wellbeing, we are postponing the STEAM Coalition kick-off meeting originally scheduled at Northern New Mexico College on Tuesday, April 7, 2020. We will reschedule the event at a later date and will be in touch with further details as our next steps take shape. In the meantime, we thank you for your interest in this event and for your concern and effort on behalf of STEAM education and workforce development in New Mexico...which amidst this global crisis, seem more critical than ever.
From all of us at the LANL Foundation, we send our deepest hopes and wishes for your health and wellbeing and that of your families and friends, and we look forward to staying connected digitally during these challenging times. Hang in there, everyone. I know we will get through this! Please feel free to reach out to me at jenny@lanlfoundation.org Best wishes, Jenny Parks  STEM Santa Fe continues to support high-quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math learning, even while students are home during the COVID-19 outbreak! STEM Santa Fe is now providing students, families, and teachers an "Activity of the Day," The activities are tailored mainly for students in grade 6-8, but everyone is welcome to try them and family members are encouraged to work on the activities together. Stay tuned Monday through Friday for the the next "Activity of the Day," and check the STEM Santa Fe website regularly for updates at http://stemsantafe.org/programs/seeds-to-stem-activity-of-the-day/
Questions: email info@stemsantafe.org For over 20 years, the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation (the “LANL Foundation”) has supported excellence in education in Northern New Mexico through innovative programming, grantmaking, collaboration, and advocacy. Now, we invite you to join us in building a vibrant and catalytic Northern NM STEAM Coalition to improve regional education, equity, and employment in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math.
By formalizing a Northern NM STEAM Coalition, we will strengthen regional collaboration and support a more prosperous future for our children, while also assuring that business and government have the local workforce they need to thrive. We look forward to working together to ensure all Northern New Mexico students have access to strong STEAM learning opportunities, inside and outside of schools, that will help them develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions they need to succeed in our region and around the globe in the 21st Century. We are also honored that Triad, LLC and Los Alamos National Laboratory have invested in improving regional STEAM education and workforce development and are grateful for their leadership and support to launch the Northern NM STEAM Coalition. On, Tuesday, April 7, from 8:30am to 4pm, we will convene at Northern New Mexico College in Española to identify actionable goals and clarify procedures and strategies to support our regional success as we launch and grow the Northern NM STEAM Coalition. You and approximately 40 other leaders in business, industry, education, government and the non-profit sector are being asked to join us on this important day. Gerald Solomon, CEO of the Samueli Foundation*, and a member of his team, Laylah Bulman, as part of their philanthropic contribution to this region, will assist us through the process using fundamental Design Engineering principles that the Samueli Foundation has used to help more than 89 communities nationwide and internationally to launch their own STEM Learning Ecosystems. For more information, contact Susanne Miller at susanne@lanlfoundation.org or 505-753-8890. Thank you and we look forward to your participation! Warm Wishes, Jenny Parks President & CEO What: Northern NM STEAM Coalition launch When: Tuesday, April 7, 2020 from 8:30am - 4:00pm Where: Northern New Mexico College, Event Center, 921 N. Paseo de Oñate, Española Background: Henry Samueli is an American businessman, engineer, and philanthropist. He is the co-founder of Broadcom Corporation, and with his wife Susan, owner of the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks, and are prominent philanthropists in the Orange County, California community. After Broadcom went public in 1998 the Samueli Foundation was created. The foundation focuses its giving in the areas of education, health, youth services, and Jewish culture and values. In 2012 the Samuelis joined the Giving Pledge, initiated by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates, whose members pledge the majority of their wealth to philanthropy. To date, the Samuelis have committed over $500 million to philanthropic causes. In June 2019, UCLA announced a $100-million gift from Samueli and his wife, Susan. The gift will be used to expand the engineering school. A particular focus of the Samueli Foundation’s work in the education arena is to stimulate interest in preK-12 students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) coursework, research, and careers through integration of technology and innovative teaching methods. Today, much of this work is being carried out nationally and globally through the STEM Funders Network and the STEM Ecosystems Initiative which grew out of the concepts developed at the STEM Summit in 2010 and STEM Learning is Everywhere Convocation in 2014. The STEM Funders Network, comprised of more than 20 education-focused private and corporate foundations working together to increase the expertise of grant makers investing in STEM, launched the STEM Learning Ecosystems Initiative in 2015 based on over a decade of research into successful STEM collaborations. Gerald Solomon (Samueli Foundation) Ron Ottinger (STEM Next Opportunity Fund), and Jan Morrison (TIES) serve as co-directors for the Initiative. The STEM Learning Ecosystems Initiative is built on over a decade of research into successful STEM collaborations, and seeks to nurture and scale effective science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning opportunities for all young people. Launched in Denver at the Clinton Global Initiative, the STEM Learning Ecosystems Initiative forms a National Community of Practice with expert coaching and support from leaders such as superintendents, scientists, industry and others. According to website statistics, as of today, there are 89 STEM Learning Ecosystems. |
AuthorsContributors include the Northern NM STEAM Team, local educators, & advocates Archives
February 2021
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