STEM Paths Innovation Network (SPIN) is thrilled to announce the appointment of Shana Beckwith to the position of Executive Director of Education and Katherine Barr to the position of Executive Director of Operations.

Shana and Kat have been working closely together to shepherd SPIN from a small, grassroots project to a full-fledged nonprofit serving hundreds of students and families every year. SPIN has implemented a shared leadership model in order to honor the strengths of their leadership, ensure that the organization continues to be led by its commitment to the communities they serve, and build a distributed decision-making model amongst all staff.

The Executive Director of Education (EDE) provides leadership and vision in the ongoing planning, implementation, development, direction, review and evaluation of SPIN’s curriculum, instructional services and operations. The EDE ensures that SPIN objectives are aligned to frameworks and to instructional practices that provide optimum outcomes to students and families of color. The EDE leads the organization in partnership with the Executive Director of Operations and the Board.

The Executive Director of Operations (EDO) is responsible for ensuring the successful fulfillment of SPIN’s mission while embodying all of the values that define SPIN’s culture. The EDO leads SPIN’s financial management, communications, human resources, and fundraising activities, and works with the EDE and the Board to determine SPIN’s strategic direction.The EDO leads the organization in partnership with the Executive Director of Education and the Board.

If you’d like more information about SPIN, please contact us! info@stempaths.org. We also invite you to make a contribution to our work!

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It's Women's History Month!

SPIN Girls is celebrating Women’s History Month by shining a light on our mentors in STEM! These inspirational women are doing amazing work and are impacting the industries they serve by helping to pave the way for future female innovators to do the same. THANK YOU SPIN GIRLS MENTORS!

In this month's newsletter, you'll find a recap of our activities in February and what your students can look forward to in March. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. - Jaira

MONTHLY RECAP

Lab Day #3:
The Epic Cohort (8th Grade) students designed an article of clothing inspired by the various ways animals and plants protect themselves.

The Luminous Cohort (9th Grade) students programmed their own LEGO robots and used color sensing technology.

The Stellar Cohort (10th Grade) students continued their climate change research projects and prepared for their capstone presentations!

RESOURCES

Neighborhood House is pleased to be partnering with Inspiring Here and Now to offer this free online workshop for African American parents and teens ages 12-16!  Each parent/caregiver receives a $75 gift card for participation. ***Inspiring Here & Now Supports Black and Brown families by providing the Strong African American Families-Teen Program (SAAF-T). SAAF-T is a program that is effectively helping families of color to learn skills needed for teens to resist drug use, make responsible choices about sexual activity, plan for higher education, and careers. Parents and teens learn together in weekly sessions featuring fun activities. This program was developed specifically for African American families and is evidence-based. Flyer and registration form here.

Leaders of Today is an organization focused on providing youth with mentorship from leading professionals to foster a culture of innovation and nurture the next generation of Leaders of Today. Interest in writing or STEM? Enter the 2022 Leaders of Today Competition by April 30th 2022. Competition winners will serve as our 2022 Leaders of Today "Youth Visionaries" and are chosen by the Adult Ambassadors in their chosen category.
    
An invitation for King County youth to join the 2022 Youth Forum!The King County Youth Bill of Rights Task Force (meet them again, here!) are hosting a community conversation about issues critically impacting young people, 24 years old and younger, in our region. The forum will be led by the Task Force members who will share and facilitate conversations around mental health, resource scarcity and equity, school challenges, and more. Click here to learn more and view registration details!

EPIC-Engineering Possibilities in College shares Cal Poly’s College of Engineering mission “to educate students for careers of service, leadership, and distinction in engineering or other fields by using a Learn by Doing, hands-on approach." EPIC is open to all rising 6th-12th graders. The program’s primary goals are to attract more female, first-generation and low-income students to the field of engineering and inspire them to choose it as a career path. Applications closes April 15, 2022 at 5:00 pm (PST). Apply here. 

LOOKING FORWARD

SPIN students and mentors will need to bring proof of vaccination or a negative test result to all future SPIN events. Visit our website for an update on our COVID-19 protocols.
Field Day #4 on Saturday March 5th, 2022. Light snacks provided.

• Epic Cohort (8th Grade), 9:30AM-11:30AM: @ Renton Technical College

• Luminous Cohort (9th Grade), 9:30AM-12:30PM: @ 343 Industries - Microsoft

• Stellar Cohort (10th Grade), 1:30PM-4:30PM: @ Adaptive Biotechnologies

Lab Day #4 on Saturday March 26th, 2022. Lunch provided.

• Where: Tukwila Community Center: 12424 42nd Ave S, Tukwila, WA 98168.

  • Epic Cohort (8th Grade): 9:30AM-1:00PM

  • Luminous Cohort (9th Grade): 9:30AM-1:00PM

  • Stellar Cohort (10th Grade): 1:00PM-4:30PM

• *8th and 9th graders, feel free to arrive at 9:00AM for extra mentor-mentee hangout time.

SPIN GIRLS FELLOWS

"In February, the SPIN Fellows met for their in-person check-in where they made lists of their dream colleges (including the University of Hawaii, WSU, Berkeley, Portland State, and Osaka University Japan) and continued writing their independent project proposals. Independent projects for this cohort range from coding an original app, developing a social media marketing portfolio, and interning in a research lab! The SPIN Fellows also hold bi-weekly study group sessions as a new space to focus on schoolwork, standardized test prep, and general group bonding. "
- Fellows Program Manager

Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Girls Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. 15 Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.

For more information visit our website: https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls-fellows

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It's Black History Month!

Today marks the start of Black History Month. The theme for 2022 focuses on the importance of Black Health and Wellness. This theme acknowledges the legacy of not only Black scholars and medical practitioners in Western medicine, but also other ways of knowing (e.g., birthworkers, doulas, midwives, naturopaths, herbalists, etc.) throughout the African Diaspora. If you're interested in being inspired, check out this reading list that highlights books, websites, and other historical materials and guides on Black Health and Wellness.

In this month's newsletter, you'll find a recap of our activities in January and what your students can look forward to in February. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. - Jaira

MONTHLY RECAP

Field Day #3:
The Epic Cohort (8th Grade) virtually visited the Hutch United - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, toured the lab, built foldscopes and listened to a career panel of female scientists.

The Luminous Cohort (9th Grade) virtually visited MacDonald Miller, learned about the different pre-construction teams such as detailing, engineering, estimating and design that are involved in executing projects and listened to a career panel of women in engineering.

The Stellar Cohort (10th Grade) virtually visited TomboyX and got insight on what a typical production cycle looks like, how to predict color and print trends, and how to analyze and assort sales numbers. Students also had the chance to design their own prints for undergarments, lounge wear, or activewear!

RESOURCES

School Guidance from WA DOH
K-12 Schools Requirements 2021-2022 (wa.gov)
Supplemental Considerations to Mitigate COVID-19 Transmission in K-12 Schools (wa.gov)

Plenty of vaccination and booster appointments in Auburn and Seattle for the whole family. Looking for COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for kids and adults? Vaccination sites in Auburn and in Seattle have many appointments available! First and second doses for ages 5 and older, boosters for everyone 12 and older.

More information (including about free transportation and child care support) and other locations for vaccination: kingcounty.gov/vaccine (translations in 17 languages)

The Washington State Department of Health is recruiting young people living in Washington for a Youth Advisory Council. We are looking for applicants age 13-21 who live in Washington State and have access to the internet, social media, and email.  Our recruitment will center on the communities most affected by health care inequities. More information about meetings, expectations, and how to apply can be found at: https://waportal.org/partners/home/adolescent-health/youth-advisors  
 
In-person and virtual experiences honor Seattle’s Black & African American community. In Seattle, the legacies and achievements of Black Seattleites have shaped the city’s excellence in art, music, culture, business, science, civil rights and hospitality – among other industries. Visit Seattle strives to honor these achievements in Seattle history and recognize the Black excellence that shines in Seattle today: https://visitseattle.org/press/press-releases/visit-seattles-2022-guide-to-celebrating-black-history-month-in-seattle/

LOOKING FORWARD

SPIN students and mentors will need to bring proof of vaccination or a negative test result to all future SPIN events. Visit our website for an update on our COVID-19 protocols.

Lab Day #3 Saturday February 12th, 2022. Lunch provided.

• Where: Tukwila Community Center: 12424 42nd Ave S, Tukwila, WA 98168.

  • Epic Cohort (8th Grade): 9:30AM-1:00PM

  • Luminous Cohort (9th Grade): 9:30AM-1:00PM

  • Stellar Cohort (10th Grade): 1:00PM-4:30PM

• *8th and 9th graders, feel free to arrive at 9:00AM for extra mentor-mentee hangout time.
  

Field Day #4 on March 5th, 2022. Light snacks provided.

• Epic Cohort (8th Grade), 9:30AM-11:30AM: @ Renton Technical College

• Luminous Cohort (9th Grade), 9:30AM-12:30PM: @ 343 Industries

• Stellar Cohort (10th Grade), 1:30PM-4:30PM: @ Adaptive Biotechnologies

SPIN GIRLS FELLOWS

"In January, the SPIN Fellows started the year with a virtual meeting where they discussed their study timelines for the SAT. During their latest in-person check-in, they visualized their dream college experiences and began writing their independent project proposals. Independent projects for this cohort range from coding an original app, developing a social media marketing portfolio, and interning in a research lab! The SPIN Fellows have also organized bi-weekly study group sessions as a new space to focus on schoolwork, standardized test prep, and general group bonding. "
- Natalie, Fellows Program Manager

Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Girls Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. 15 Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.

For more information visit our website: https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls-fellows

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Happy 2022! 

I hope you all enjoyed the holiday season and will be blessed with renewed health, joy, and success this new year! In the months of November and December, the Fellows have been attending regular all Fellows check-ins as well as personalized 1-on-1s with the Program Manager (that's me! - Natalie). They determined personal and group values to drive their future goals, outlined college and career ambitions, and ended with a holiday party where they constructed and decorated gingerbread houses.

For the month of January, we will be diving deep into standardized test prep (SAT & ACT) and learning  how to apply and earn scholarships.

Just a sneak peek at what 2022 has in store for the Fellows:

• College tours

• Networking

• Financial Aid Workshop

• College Application Prep

Looks like there will be lots of exciting and educational opportunities ahead for our Fellows this year! As always, let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

- Natalie

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Coming Up

• January 11: Test Prep (VIRTUAL)

  • Time: 5:30-7:30

  • Location: Zoom

• January 25: Scholarships

  • Time: 5:30-7:30PM

  • Location: Kent Commons Community Center, Olympic Room

• Scheduled 1-on-1s with Program Manager

• Optional: Biweekly SAT prep and study group sessions

  • Starting Sunday 1/23 from 10:30am-1:30pm

  • Location: TBD

Resources

The Washington State Department of Health is recruiting youth ages 13-21 for their Youth Advisory Council. Apply here by January 31, 2022.

Volunteer with Northwest Harvest by repacking product at a regional distribution centers, distributing food at the SODO Community Market in Seattle, helping out at special events, or hosting food drives.

INSIGHT High School Program is an intensive four-week program designed to introduce students to public health, biomedical research, & medicine. For summer 2022, the program has been adapted to a virtual format to follow public health guidelines.

Changemakers in Computing (CIC) is a summer 2022 program hosted by the University of Washington’s Allen School. This free program aims to serve Washington State high school students from systemically marginalized backgrounds to develop coding skills through culturally relevant project-based learning, learning about different areas of computing, receive support in pursuing continued learning, etc.

For more opportunities like these, check out the UW Youth Program Directory.

Health Resources

Youth Ages 16-17 Are Now Eligible for Boosters

Families can find and schedule appointments for COVID-19 vaccines and boosters at vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.

Early testing is important to help prevent COVID-19 from spreading to friends, family, and the community. Find a COVID-10 testing site near you.

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Happy New Year!

I hope you all were able to stay safe and enjoy the holiday season! Here's to hoping 2022 brings more peace and joy to our lives!

In this month's newsletter, you'll find a recap of our activities in December and what your students can look forward to in January. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. - Jaira
 

MONTHLY RECAP - DECEMBER 2021

Field Day #2:
The Epic Cohort (8th Grade) virtually visited Blue Origin, learned about the possibility of living in space, and built mini parachutes.

The Luminous Cohort (9th Grade) virtually visited the Allen Institute, listened to a panel on women in neuroscience, and participated in a neuron building contest.

The Stellar Cohort (10th Grade) visited the UW Makerspace and built their own holiday themed plush toys using 3D printing and LED lights.

RESOURCES

COVID-19 Information and Resources December 16, 2021 update: Boosters for ages 16 and older. Anyone age 16 and older can now get a booster dose: 6 months after their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna (note: 16-17 years old can only get Pfizer). 2 months after one dose of J&J.

LOOKING FORWARD

SPIN students and mentors will need to bring proof of vaccination or a negative test result to all future SPIN events. Visit our website for an update on our COVID-19 protocols.

Lab Day #2 on January 8th. Lunch provided.

• Where: Tukwila Community Center: 12424 42nd Ave S, Tukwila, WA 98168.

  • Epic Cohort (8th Grade): 9:30AM-1:00PM

  • Luminous Cohort (9th Grade): 9:30AM-1:00PM

  • Stellar Cohort (10th Grade): 1:00PM-4:30PM

  • 8th and 9th graders, feel free to arrive at 9:00AM for extra mentor-mentee hangout time.

Field Day #3 on January 29th. Light snacks provided.

• Epic Cohort (8th Grade), 9:30AM-11:30AM: Hutch United - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Virtual)

• Luminous Cohort (9th Grade), 9:30AM-12:30PM: @ MacDonald Miller

• Stellar Cohort (10th Grade), 1:30PM-4:30PM: @ TomboyX

SPIN GIRLS FELLOWS

Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Girls Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. 15 Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.

The goal of SPIN Girls Fellows is to empower SPIN Girls students to feel confident in pursuing STEM college majors & careers. The vision is to grow a strong alumni community, supported by SPIN Girls mentors, staff, and other alumni. SPIN Girls Fellows breaks down the barriers that girls* of color face when exploring and pursuing STEM careers and shapes a more inclusive future.

For more information visit our website: https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls-fellows

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Goodbye 2021!

2021 has been a year filled with change for all of us, but it's almost over! And despite everything this year has thrown at us, you all have continually shown up and participated in SPIN Girls events, which is INCREDIBLE. I admire and am so grateful for your dedication to this program. 

In this month's newsletter, you'll find a recap of our activities in November and what your students can look forward to in December. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. - Jaira

November RECAP

Field Day #1:
The Epic Cohort (8th Grade) and the Luminous Cohort (9th Grade) cohort virtually visited the UW Arboretum and created their own Super Plants!

The Stellar Cohort (10th Grade) visited the Museum of Flight and listened to a panel on Women in Aviation.

RESOURCES

The Youth Bill of Rights (YBOR) is officially happening! We are excited to kickstart this youth-led project and share how young people across King County can participate and directly support the well-being, health, and happiness of their peers and communities. Follow along to learn more!

The Youth Digital Stewards Program - We're working to train students to build community-based internet that improves technology access in the Kent and Seattle areas. This is a FREE program with a $1200 stipend.

theWashBoard.org - Search and Apply for Scholarships. Private scholarships are one tool to help make college or training after high school more affordable. Businesses, organizations, and colleges award scholarships to students for community service, good grades, athletic ability, or a variety of other qualities or activities. Students in Washington can create a profile on theWashBoard.org to be matched with potential scholarship opportunities. The site is spam-free and will never sell your information.  

Covid-19 Financial Support - City of Tacoma

Community Health Professions Academy - Are you interested in a career in Healthcare? Community Health Professions Academy (CHPA) a multi-session program at the University of Washington School of Dentistry. CHPA is aimed towards students from minority or underrepresented/rural communities interested in dentistry, medicine, public health and other healthcare related careers.
Visit our Facebook page: fb.com/UWOEPD
Priority deadline is December 5th, 2021 11:59PM PST 
APPY HERE

The Federal Communications Commission has launched a temporary program to help families and households struggling to afford Internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Emergency Broadband Benefit provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.

LOOKING FORWARD

SPIN students and mentors will need to bring proof of vaccination or a negative test result to all future SPIN events. Visit our website for an update on our COVID-19 protocols.

Field Day #2 on December 4th 2021. Light snacks provided to those in person.

• Epic Cohort (8th Grade), 9:30am-11:00am: Virtual Field Day with Blue Origin

• Luminous Cohort (9th Grade), 9:30AM-11:00AM: Virtual Field Day with The Allen Institute

• Stellar Cohort (10th Grade), 1:30PM-4:30PM: UW Makerspace - McCarty Innovation & Learning Lab (The MILL)

SPIN GIRLS FELLOWS

Our 2021-2022 SPIN Girls Fellows program is off to a wonderful start! This highly individualized two-year program is offered to 11th and 12th graders who have graduated from our SPIN Girls program. This year, the Fellows will explore different STEM professions, make personal and professional connections, receive extensive career and college advice, take on an independent project, apply to internships, and much more! Additionally, we offer monthly and bimonthly 1-on-1 check-ins with the program manager that are specifically catered to each Fellow and their post-secondary education needs.

We had our kick-off in the beginning of November and continue to meet every other Tuesday. For November and December, we will be focusing on the college application timeline and building a college list. With differences in the needs and interests of each Fellow, each cohort's focus topics will vary accordingly.

I hope to see you all apply for the SPIN Girls Fellows Program in the future! - Natalie

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Happy Fall Season!

It was so nice to see all of you beautiful people in person at the first Lab Day! I hope you all had a wonderful October and managed to celebrate Halloween in some way even with COVID. In this month's newsletter, you'll find a recap of our activities in October and what your students can look forward to in November. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. - Jaira

OCTOBER RECAP

Lab Day #1:
The Epic Cohort (8th Grade) learned about biomimicry and constructed some awesome animal shelters.

The Luminous Cohort (9th Grade) began to build and program their own LEGO robots.

The Stellar Cohort (10th Grade) chose and started collecting research for their climate change projects.

RESOURCES

King County Vaccine Mandate Verification: Beginning October 25, people ages 12 and older will be required to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test result to enter certain indoor and outdoor events and establishments in King County.

MyIR Mobile is an internet-based service that gives people access to their official Washington state vaccination records including COVID-19 vaccination certificates.

17 Tips to Steer Kids of All Ages Through the Political Season, along with some tips from Headspace for relieving election anxiety.

Map of Ballot Drop Boxes in King County: Ballots must be returned to a ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day (11/2).

Health Professions Week (HPW) is an exciting and FREE week-long event for high school and college students interested in learning more about careers in the health professions. You will have the opportunity to explore 20+ diverse and rewarding health professions throughout a week of virtual activities 11/4-11/11.

Cal Poly's Engineering Possibilities in College is hosting a Summer program (virtual and in-person dates available). EPIC is open to all rising 6th-12th graders. The program’s primary goals are to attract more female, first-generation and low-income students to the field of engineering and inspire them to choose it as a career path. Application opens in January 2022.

LOOKING FORWARD

SPIN students and mentors will need to bring proof of vaccination or a negative test result within 72 hours to all future SPIN events. Visit our website for an update on our COVID-19 protocols.
Field Day #1 on November 6th. Light Snacks will be provided.

• Epic (8th Grade) and Luminous Cohort (9th Grade), 9:30AM-12:30PM: UW Botanic Gardens at the Washington Park Arboretum - 2300 Arboretum Drive East, Seattle WA 98112

  • There is a UW home game at Husky Stadium on Nov 6th. This means traffic will be pretty bonkers around the park! Leave lots of extra time (especially if you are driving or busing) to get here so that you arrive on time!

• Stellar Cohort (10th Grade), 1:30PM-4:30PM: Museum of Flight - 9404 E Marginal Way S, Seattle, WA 98108

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Welcome New SPIN Girls!

If you just joined SPIN Girls this year, welcome to the SPIN Girls newsletter! You'll receive this newsletter once a month. In it, you'll learn about what we did the month before and what we have to look forward to this month. We'll also provide resources to help you with schooling, mentoring, and life. If you ever have any questions about the newsletter, feel free to reach out to me!

In this month's newsletter, you'll find a recap of our activities in September and what your students can look forward to in October. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. - Jaira

SEPTEMBER RECAP

Orientation/Welcome Back: Students, mentors, & families had the opportunity to meet virtually, learn more about the program, and start getting to know their mentor and fellow mentees.

RESOURCES

The application for the ’21-’22 Henry Teen Art Collective can be found here and will be due by October 14, 2021.- The Henry Teen Art Collective is a group of young people who collaborate on art projects, meet local and exhibiting artists, and gain behind the scenes access to the museum. We are a youth-led art collective that prioritizes community building, collaboration,  youth leadership, and creative expression. 

The deadline to apply is October 25th at 5:00 p.m. Youth can learn more and apply at tinyurl.com/SeaSJYouthGrant.  The Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) is thrilled to announce that applications are open now for the Youth-Led Social Justice Mini-Grant! DEEL is proud to support our City’s brilliant, passionate young people who are advocating for anti-racism, anti-discrimination, and positive change. 

Youth Mental Health First Aid Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders in youth. 

Teen Mental Health First Aid Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders in Teens.  

LOOKING FORWARD

• Lab Day #1 on October 16th at Tukwila Community Center: 12424 42nd Ave S, Tukwila, WA 98168

• Breakfast snacks and lunch provided.

  • Epic Cohort (8th Grade): 9:30AM-1:30PM

  • Luminous Cohort (9th Grade): 9:30AM-1:30PM

  • Stellar Cohort (10th Grade): 12:30PM-4:30PM

*8th and 9th graders, feel free to arrive at 9:00AM for extra mentor-mentee hangout time.

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Happy Back to School!

As most of you prepare for in-person learning, I hope you have an amazing start to the school year! Please let me know if there's anything SPIN can do to help you with your in-person or virtual learning experience.

In this month's newsletter, you'll find a summary of program changes, the schedule for September, a welcome to our new cohort, and some resources to help you out. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

- Jaira

AUGUST RECAP

Welcome 2021-2024 Epic Cohort! We will be meeting all of the newest and returning members of SPIN Girls (from all cohorts) at the Orientation/Welcome back event.

Student Feedback. Here's a summary of feedback we received from students during the 2021 Summer Retreat and our response:

• Students acknowledged that their mentors did the best they could with the virtual circumstances. In addition, students would like more mentor hangouts outside of SPIN and more opportunities to job shadow. To facilitate this, we are encouraging more mentor-mentee hangout scheduling (can be in-person as long as guardians/students/mentors permit). We are also emphasizing the importance of offering job shadow opportunities to potential mentors before they commit to the program.

• Students expressed that the zoom lab days were hard. In response, we have planned for the 2021-2022 program year to be mostly in-person. However, if things change and we have to go virtual again, we will plan for more simplified yet interactive zoom sessions.

• Students enjoyed most of the curricula but wanted something a little bit more challenging than the App Development curriculum. So, instead Luminous will be learning a new Robotics curriculum (if the students like it, we will keep it for future cohorts).

RESOURCES

Seattle Public Schools Fall 2021 Resources Includes resources on health/wellness and important information regarding the transition back to in-person instruction.

King County Free COVID-19 Test Sites and Rite-Aid Free Test Sites includes a list of free test sites (including sites with language interpretation available)

Smithsonian Magazine is announcing Museum Day on September 18, 2021. Check it out for FREE tickets.

LOOKING FORWARD

• I have sent out registration links for Connect to our new students. The email was sent from "STEM Paths Innovation Network" with the subject "Online Connect Access". Please use the link to make an account and fill out the assigned paperwork before the start of our program, September 25th 2021. If you are having trouble accessing these documents please let me know.

• Orientation/Welcome Back on September 25th. More information will be emailed within the next few weeks.

• Lab Day #1 on October 16th in-person at Tukwila Community Center.

  • Epic Cohort (8th grade): 9:30AM-1:30PM

  • Luminous Cohort (9th grade): 9:30AM-1:30PM

  • Stellar Cohort (10th grade): 12:30PM-4:30PM

• For the entire schedule, visit https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls under the Frequently Asked Questions section.

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Big Changes Coming to SPIN Girls!

SPIN Girls funding is up for renewal on the ballot tomorrow, so vote YES on Prop. 1! You can learn more about Best Starts for Kids in the resources section below. 

In case you missed the email, this will be my last week at SPIN. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you all and I'm excited to see what you all do next!

In this month's newsletter, you'll find a recap of our activities in July. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. - Nell

MONTHLY RECAP

Summer Retreat The students solved the case of Jurassic Bark during summer retreat in July. They learned how to analyze handwriting, fingerprints and hair and how to apply deductive reasoning to a set of information.

RESOURCES

Learn more about KC Prop 1 - Best Starts for Kids! Every kid deserves a strong start in life. We can help by renewing Best Starts for Kids– maintaining and expanding programs that support kids as they grow, with high quality childcare, homelessness prevention, and social and emotional youth development programs. We know that prevention and early engagement is the most effective, and least expensive way, to ensure positive outcomes for our kids and community. We also must support children and youth of color to overcome racial injustice and have the best opportunity to thrive. That’s why voters adopted the Best Starts for Kids Levy in 2015, to invest in healthy pregnancies, positive development for children and youth, assistance for at-risk youth, and school and community-based programs to support kids as they grow into adulthood. Now it’s time to renew these proven investments in King County’s kids. Vote YES on KC Prop. 1 to renew the Best Starts for Kids Levy and promote happy, healthy, safe, and thriving kids, families, and communities.

How should funding support Black youth in Seattle? Youth ages 10 to 21 are invited to fill out this quick and easy survey to inform future programs benefitting Black girls, young women, and Black queer and transgender youth. Youth who complete the survey will get free pizza! This survey closes on August 5th at 10:00pm.

DEEL's Youth Survey for Future Projects on Social Justice: Youth ages 12 to 24 are invited to fill out a survey to help develop a mini-grant that funds youth-led projects - by youth, for youth - that speak out against racism and other forms of bias and hate. Up to $8K will be available for each project funded! This survey closes on Friday, August 6 at 6:00pm. 

COVID Masking Guidance for King County: Given the CDC’s recent recommendations, King County recommends everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask when indoors. Please stay safe!

LOOKING FORWARD

Enjoy your month off in August. We look forward to seeing you in September!

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Summer is here!

If last weekend's heat wave did anything other than melt the PNW, it reminded us that summer is truly here. And as COVID restrictions are lifting, I hope you all are able to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather!

In this month's newsletter, you'll find a recap of our activities in June and what your students can look forward to in July, plus the schedule for next year. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. - Nell

MONTHLY RECAP

Capstone Presentation: We celebrated the year with a virtual Capstone filled with many heartfelt speeches and lots of amazing presentations! Thank you to everyone who attended. We hope you enjoyed it! If you'd like to re-watch any of the speeches or presentations, click one of the links below:

• Capstone Presentation (excluding student project presentations)

• Luminous (8th Grade) Presentations

• Stellar (9th Grade) Presentations

• Epic (10th Grade) Presentations

RESOURCES

College of the Environment Virtual Visit Days: The College of the Environment is hosting a series of virtual (Zoom) events in July and August for prospective undergrad students, and anyone interested in our programs. Each event will feature 2 faculty, academic advisers and current students and a live Q&A session.

Making Connections STEM Summer Bridge Program: Making Connections Summer Bridge is designed to introduce high school freshmen and sophomores to STEM careers and encourage them to pursue post-secondary education. APPLY HERE..

Tools for Teens: Stress management and Emotional Resilience: Based on the evidenced-based curriculum of Mindful Self Compassion, the Mindful Schools curriculum, and principles of positive psychology; this 8-week experiential program for teens provides practices and tools to manage stress, increase feelings of happiness and well-being, and promote emotional resilience.  This program is offered by The Center for Child & Family Well-being and scholarships are available. 

Cooling Centers in Seattle: I hope everyone managed okay this past weekend with our record heat! In case it happens again this summer, you can find a map of cooling centers in Seattle if you follow the link above. If you need support finding cooling centers in other cities, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

LOOKING FORWARD

• Summer Retreat, July 12-16, 10am-12pm each day. If you signed up for retreat, you should have received an email from me with more information earlier this week. If you plan on attending retreat and have not yet filled out our questionnaire, please do so ASAP.

• Here's the schedule for the 2021-22 program year. Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any!

  • September 25th - Orientation / Welcome Back

  • October 16th - Lab Day #1

  • November 6th - Field Day #1

  • December 4th - Field Day #2

  • January 8th - Lab Day #2

  • January 29th - Field Day #3

  • February 12th - Lab Day #3

  • March 5th - Field Day #4

  • March 26th - Lab Day #4

  • April 23rd - Field Day #5

  • May 14th - Lab Day #5

  • June 4th - Capstone Presentation

  • July 11th - 15th - Summer Retreat

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Check out our feature in the YDEKC newsletter this month!

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This month we’re eager to feature STEM Paths Innovation Network (SPIN), who have been members of YDEKC over the last year. They have been stewards in closing the opportunity gap in STEM education to support youth by offering STEM+Arts classes and programs to students in King County. SPIN exposes students to STEM fields and careers they may never have learned otherwise and envisions a world in which every student, family, and community can pursue science, technology, engineering, math, and arts fields.

SPIN offers after-school enrichment programs and will soon be offering a summer program in direct partnership with community organizations and school districts at no cost to families. To learn more or to sign up youth for SPIN programs, use the SPIN Student Interest Form. Since its founding in 2015, SPIN has served over 800 students, has over twenty community and school partners in the county, and is committed to serving students of color. Their work begins in elementary school with enrichment that introduces students to STEM. Through collaboration, mentorship, and capacity building in middle and high school, they add opportunities for youth leadership. Check out their blog and follow them on Instagram and Facebook to see their work in action.

They are currently hiring for several positions including two Program Manager roles — apply today to join their team. If you’re interested in volunteering to support students’ interests in STEM, fill out their Volunteer Interest Form at any time.

And don't forget to join STEM Paths Innovation Network, YDEKC, and SOWA tomorrow for Partnership Quick Connections: Out-of-School-Time, Place-Based Partnership Highlight!

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Additionally, watch Shana Beckwith, SPIN’s Director of Curriculum & Instruction, chat with YDEKC and Monica Haugen in their Partnership Quick Connections episode, Out-of-School-Time Place-based Partnership Highlight below!

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Happy Summer!

June is Pride Month! Check out our resources section for some activities for LGBTQ+ youth. June 19th is Juneteenth! Find programming to celebrate with in our resources section below.

In this month's newsletter, you'll find a recap of our activities in May and what your students can look forward to in June. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. - Nell

MONTHLY RECAP

Lab Day: All cohorts finished up the projects that they've been working on throughout the year and prepared their Capstone Presentations! Students recorded video presentations since the Capstone will be a virtual event. We're excited for you to see their work at the Capstone!

RESOURCES

NAAM — Juneteenth Week 2021: Celebrate Juneteenth with free programming from the Northwest African American Museum. 

Youth Events Calendar — Lambert House: Lambert House offers free and virtual activities and resources for LGBTQ+ youth including resources on parenting and supporting youth.

Children and Youth Summer Food Service Program: From June 21 through August 25, 2021, City of Seattle will run its annual Summer Meals Program for youth 18 and younger. Meals from identified partner sites can be picked up by parents for youth who are not present. Some sites might also follow a waiver guideline that lets them hand out more than one day's meals at a time to minimize the number of visits a family must make to the site.

LOOKING FORWARD

• Capstone Presentation on June 5th from 10:30AM-12PM. Families are invited and encouraged to come!

• Summer Retreat will be held the week of July 12-16

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It's Asian Pacific American Heritage Month!

In light of the rise in violence against the AAPI community since COVID began, it is more important than ever that we take this month to educate ourselves and each other on the history of the AAPI community and to celebrate AAPI heritage. Scroll down to our resources section to find out how!

In this month's newsletter, you'll find a recap of our activities in April and what your students can look forward to in May. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. - Nell

MONTHLY RECAP

Field Day: Luminous Cohort heard from Renton Technical College about the pros of a technical education and a career in a trade. Stellar & Epic Cohorts learned about how mRNA vaccines work and got to hear from a panel of amazing women from UW Immunology. This was Epic's last Field Day ever!

RESOURCES

11 Moments From Asian American History That You Should Know: Read this article to learn about AAPI history in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Seattle Asian Art Museum is reopening: After being closed for a year due to the pandemic, Seattle Asian Art Museum will reopen to the public May 28. The Museum recently underwent a major renovation and redesign in 2019. Current exhibits include Boundless: Stories of Asian Art, and Be/longing: Contemporary Asian Art.Tickets will be released every Thursday at 10 am and everyone must get tickets online in advance of their visit.

Social Media & Youth Sociopolitical Development Study: Each participant will attend: 1 orientation, 4 interviews and 1 "social media ride along" where you and the researchers will talk about your social media activity together as you go through your account (total of 6 meetings between May and October). You will also submit social media posts weekly. Each enrolled participant will receive a $25 e-gift card for each interview (total of $100 for 4 interviews), $25 for the social media 'ride along', and $10 a week (requires at least 3 posts per week) from July-August 2021 (total of $80 for all posts). Five young people (ages 13-18) will be selected for this project. Applications submitted before May 30 will be given priority. You will learn more about all these activities in orientation. If you have questions, you can email Angie Malorni (she/her) at malorni@uw.edu

What’s Open?: Washington has entered its fourth wave of COVID-19 and Gov. Inslee may move certain counties back to Phase 2. To review what’s open in each phase, visit the “Roadmap to Recovery” link. 

Vaccinate WA: COVID-19 Vaccine Availability: Tool for finding COVID-19 real-time available vaccine openings in Washington.

LOOKING FORWARD

• Lab Day on May 15th from 10AM-12PM for Luminous & Stellar Cohorts and 1PM-3PM for Epic Cohort. This is the last Lab Day of the year and Epic Cohort's last Lab Day ever!

• Summer Retreat will be held the week of July 12-16. Timing is TBD but assume an all day retreat schedule for now. Retreat will be held in a hybrid model - two days in person, three days virtual.

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Happy Spring!

I hope you all are staying safe and feeling hopeful about the future. The SPIN team is almost fully vaccinated and so excited to see you all in person as soon as we can! 

In this month's newsletter, you'll find a recap of our activities in March and what your students can look forward to in April. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. - Nell

MONTHLY RECAP

Lab Day: Luminous Cohort started working on their Capstone project - designing a bio-inspired backpack for a client that fits in a specific environment. Stellar Cohort dove deeper into designing their apps and started putting things in their Lucidchart projects. Epic Cohort identified their post-HS hopes and concerns and continued working on their climate change projects. One group even met up in person and did their experiment!

RESOURCES

Getting vaccinated in King County: Visit King County’s website for information on who is eligible for the vaccine, how to get vaccinated, and more. If you need any assistance navigating the vaccine process, please let us know.

Support the Asian American / Pacific Islander (AAPI) Community: Check out these resources we’ve compiled to provide guidance on supporting the AAPI community. If you’d like any support from us or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. 

Supporting Students’ Mental Health as We Return to School: While this article is written for teachers, I still recommend that everyone read it. It provides valuable guidance on how to support students as the world opens up again.

Back to School Resources for Families & Educators: For more resources on supporting students as they go back to school, visit Child Mind’s Back to School page.

LOOKING FORWARD

• Field Day on April 24th from 10AM-12PM.

• Summer Retreat will be held the week of July 12-16. Timing is TBD but assume an all day retreat schedule for now. Retreat will be held in a hybrid model - two days in person, three days virtual.

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Between March 19, 2020 and February 28, 2021, the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center received 3,795 reports of hate incidents (source). That number only represents a fraction of total incidents since not all incidents get reported. And according to a report by the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism, anti-Asian hate crimes across 16 large US cities increased by nearly 150% in 2020 despite an overall decline in hate crimes. In Seattle specifically, there’s been a 55% increase since the pandemic began. In light of these numbers and the recent shooting in Atlanta, SPIN has compiled the following resources to help folks support the AAPI community and to #StopAsianHate. For a comprehensive national Google Doc, visit here.

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Understand what’s happening & why it’s not new by checking out some of these resources.

• Read Stop AAPI Hate’s reports, Asian Americans Advancing Justice’s stories of hate incidents, Yellow: Race in American Beyond Black and White, The Making of Asian America: A History, or “What This Wave of Anti-Asian Violence Reveals About America.”

• Learn how to help if you witness hate or if you’re experiencing hate in English and many other languages.

• Take a bystander intervention course.

• Listen to the “Self Evident” podcast.

• Watch Asian Americans the PBS docuseries or the “Asian American Stories in the Time of Coronavirus” YouTube docuseries.

• Visit the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle’s International District.

• Follow @stopaapihate, @advancingjustice_aajc, and @nextshark on Instagram.

SUPPORT

• Shop and eat at AAPI owned businesses & restaurants near you. Intentionalist has a database you can use to search for some near you.

• Donate to or volunteer at an organization supporting the AAPI community. In addition to the organizations referenced above and the AAPI Community Fund, other local organizations include but are not limited to: Asian Counseling and Referral Service, Densho, API Chaya, the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority, UTOPIA Seattle, and Filipino Community of Seattle.

REPORT

If you or someone you know experiences or witnesses hate, report it to Stop AAPI Hate, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and if you are comfortable, the local police & the FBI.

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To support the Black Lives Matter movement, click here.

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It's Women's History Month!

Make sure to check out our resources section where you can find a link to watch free videos and documentaries that highlight important contributions by women in history to celebrate this month's theme.

In this month's newsletter, you'll find a recap of our activities in February and what your students can look forward to in March. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. - Nell

Stellar Cohort with 343 Industries

MONTHLY RECAP

Lab Day: Luminous Cohort learned about Bioluminescence by designing a switch that a spy could use to turn on a light from two feet away. Stellar Cohort continued to learn about app development and started to explore Lucidchart. Epic Cohort dove deeper into their climate change projects, finalizing designs and experiment protocols.

Field Day: Luminous Cohort learned about Blue Origin, created a lunar lander prototype, and heard from some of the amazing aerospace employees there. Stellar Cohort heard from an inspiring panel of women at 343 Industries - the video game studio that brings us Halo. Epic Cohort learned about Facebook Reality Labs, listened to an incredible panel of engineers, and created their own optics pyramid.

Facebook Reality Labs panelist, Sahar Karimi, with Epic Cohort students and mentors above.

RESOURCES

What to Watch: Women's History Month: Free documentaries and videos spotlighting important contributions by women in history

TechConnect WA: The TechConnect Community Helpdesk provides the diverse and multilingual Seattle-area community with access to FREE technical support to better engage in a virtual environment. The Community Helpdesk will be able to provide the technical guidance and navigation support, while ensuring that other needs can be met via established channels.

Med-o-vate Hackathon: Register here to join a biotech centered hackathon, organized to target problems prevalent in our healthcare industry.

Fred Hutch High School Explorers Program: The Pathways Research Explorers Program, funded by the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, supports rising 10th and 11th grade students (especially those from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in science) in a two-week introductory summer program at Fred Hutch. We run two sessions in August of approximately 16 students each. Students must have completed a high school biology course to participate. Apply by March 17, 2021.

LOOKING FORWARD

• Lab Day on March 27th. 10AM-12PM for Luminous & Stellar Cohorts. 1PM-3PM for Epic Cohort.

• Summer Retreat will be held the week of July 12-16. Timing is TBD depending on whether or not we are able to meet safely in person, but assume an all day retreat schedule for now.