Seventy-nine Iowa teachers will head back to the classroom this fall with newfound knowledge after participating in the 2024 Iowa STEM Teacher Externships Program, courtesy of the Governor's STEM Advisory Council at the Iowa Department of Education.

This program provides teachers the opportunity to work at a vast array of local workplaces to gain STEM-related work experience that can be applied in the classroom. Since its launch in 2009, the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council has organized more than 800 teacher externship experiences throughout the state.

This year, Summer Teed and Micaela Sciarrotta are two educators completing a six-week externship with Jasper County Conservation.

Teed is a science teacher at Colfax Mingo Junior-Senior High School, and Sciarrotta is a fourth grade teacher at Aurora Heights Elementary in Newton. Both teachers are helping with numerous camps and conservation programs this summer, working alongside skilled naturalists to bring the classroom curriculum to life.

The Iowa STEM Teacher Externships Program benefits both the participating teachers and the local workplace hosts. Teachers connect their content expertise, along with what is taught in the classroom, to real-world applications, as well as what job skills and knowledge are needed for successful careers. In return, externship hosts get significant projects completed by talented and industrious teachers. Jasper County benefits from Teed and Sciarrotta’s externships by having area educators provide insight as it updates its own programming for upcoming school visits and field trips in addition to Teed and Sciarrotta planning their own summer programs.

“One of the highlights of my summer was getting to plan my own camp based on my expertise,” Teed said.

Teed crafted an Astronomy camp this year including a scale model of the solar system and hands-on engineering activities.

“It’s really about making science fun. And being a teacher, it’s about making learning fun,” Sciarotta said.

Sciarotta highlighted the benefits saying the kids get to “work on some other skills they wouldn’t in the classroom” and that she “loves watching the kids be interested in something.”

The Iowa STEM Teacher Externships Program is supported through a mix of state-appropriated funds and investments by Iowa business, industry and community partners, including  the Iowa Economic Development Authority Grant #21-ARRA-001, Iowa STEM Energy Teacher Externships; and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) Education Program Grant #24-07. This year’s contributions from workplace hosts total approximately $141,000 in addition to the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council investment.

By forging extern-host matches in the local community, school-business partnerships can develop and last through the following school year and beyond to enhance the community’s future workforce. This ultimately helps make students more aware of the skills needed for job opportunities in STEM right where they live.

As for anyone considering the Iowa STEM Teacher Externship program, both Teed and Sciarrotta recommend the program.

“Just try it,” Teed said. “These are definitely experiences that I would not have had otherwise and a way to build connections within the community.”

Sciarrotta touted the additional benefits of the program for externs including getting paid for their time and earning graduate credits.

“Definitely apply. It’s a lot of fun,” Sciarrotta said. “I think you’ll feel rejuvenated and excited.”

For more information on the Iowa STEM Teacher Externships Program through the Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council, visit the Department’s website.