STEM 16 has been established under the auspices of the Fredericksburg Regional Technology Council, FredTech, an affiliate of the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce, to promote, enable and extend STEM resources, activities, and opportunities within Virginia's Planning District 16, which includes the counties of Stafford, Spotsylvania, King George, Caroline and the city of Fredericksburg.
STEM 16 will engage with STEM leaders in the region to build upon the STEM initiatives already in existence. Whenever appropriate, STEM 16 activities will directly involve Region 16 students.
STEM 16 will work with local primary and secondary schools and related educational programs, businesses, military facilities, and government leaders to build and execute a strategic regional STEM program of activities.
The overall activities of STEM 16 will be led by a Steering Committee comprised of voluntary members representing each of the following four Focus Groups:
1. Education: STEM educators and school administrators from K-12 schools (including public, private, and home-school groups), colleges and universities.
2. Businesses: Large and small businesses concerns.
3. Government: City, county, state, and federal government leaders and administrators.
4. Management: Team members responsible for management, administration, and public relations for Regional STEM activities.
STEM 16's strategic plan will include near-, mid-, and long-term objectives, to include:
1. Support Existing STEM Leaders and Objectives: Work with existing STEM leaders in the region to enable them in meeting their current and future objectives.
2. Research, Document, and Share an Online Catalog of STEM Resources: Collect information about available STEM resources (for example, people, project kits, curriculum, events, intern/mentoring opportunities), and make that information easily available to STEM leaders via a Web-based capability.
3. Promote and Recognize STEM Achievement: Promote achievements of STEM students, educators, businesses, and other STEM leaders via a Web-based capability.
4. Establish Regional STEM Events and Opportunities: Work with regional STEM leaders to plan and host regional STEM events (for example, expositions, competitions, scholarships).
5. Develop STEM funding: Develop a plan to establish an ongoing financial support system for individual and regional STEM activities, to include: supplementing existing STEM funding for the purchase of STEM resources, underwriting STEM-related scholarships, sponsoring attendance at local, state, and national STEM events, and providing the required funding for STEM 16 activities and programs.
STEM 16 will host a STEM Summit annually, to report on their current activities and future plans.
