ST. LOUIS – Blueprint4STEM Powered by STEMSTL is the newest addition to the “Blueprint4” family, launching July 19, 2021, as a free, easy-to-use search tool that connects St. Louis area families to out-of-schooltime STEM learning opportunities for St. Louis PreK-12 students. The portal is available at blueprint4.com/stem.
“Blueprint4STEM Powered by STEMSTL is a one-stop-shop for extracurricular STEM activities,” said Kate Polokonis, Interim Executive Director at STEMSTL. “After multiple community listening sessions, months of workgroup meetings, and dozens of interviews with program providers, we are delighted to bring this valuable website to the St. Louis community. Thanks to the partnership and collaboration of the The Clark Fox Family Foundation along with the STEMSTL ecosystem, navigating the world of extracurricular STEM learning just got easier for the region.”
Blueprint4STEM Powered by STEMSTL functions as a filterable portal, like Blueprint4Summer, so parents can locate specific programs and find the perfect fit for their kids. The portal can be broken down by age group, STEM content area, location, time, pricing, level of engagement, and more. You can also select for attributes such as “Geek Approved,” programs with scholarships available, or programs tailored for students with disabilities. Blueprint4STEM Powered by STEMSTL takes the guesswork out of finding all that St. Louis has to offer in the afterschool STEM world.
“We’ve seen kids and teens participating in so many incredible STEM activities throughout the St. Louis region the last seven summers, and as the world begins to open up post-pandemic, we know families are even more excited to discover the variety of opportunities available to them,” said Maxine Clark, CEO and Co-Founder of The Clark Fox Family Foundation, which runs the Blueprint4 platform. “We want all kids to discover and fall in love with STEM learning.”
The goal of Blueprint4STEM Powered by STEMSTL is to engage kids of all ages from the entire St. Louis region in out-of-schooltime STEM learning. There are myriad organizations throughout the area offering exciting STEM programs not just this summer, but also into this fall and throughout the school year. With this portal, parents can discover awe-inspiring demonstrations and interactive exhibits at HealthWorks!, the creative activities at The Magic House MADE for Kids, the futuristic robotics programs at The Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, and more.
In addition to the filterable portal, Blueprint4STEM Powered by STEMSTL also includes on its site information about the variety of STEM content areas, from life science and outdoor STEM to engineering and tech. It also familiarizes users with the Explore-Engage-Immerse model that is used throughout the Blueprint4STEM site – represented in the “level of engagement” filter. Explore, Engage, Immerse is all about experiential learning, which allows kids to immerse themselves meaningfully in what they are interested in and provides them with knowledge, skills, and behaviors that will help them succeed in life.
The St. Louis region has so much to offer in the world of STEM, and Blueprint4STEM Powered by STEMSTL is designed to help St. Louis families find the right programs to get their students learning and loving STEM.
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About STEMSTL
STEMSTL is a collaborative consortium committed to equitable access to high-quality STEM learning and employment opportunities for all learners in the St. Louis Metro region. Our mission is to collectively develop and deploy quality systems-level changes that will advance STEM learning and career opportunities to empower the growth of diverse problem solvers, innovators, and critical thinkers, enabling them to thrive in a globally connected world. BioSTL serves as the organization’s backbone.
About Blueprint
It’s more than what happens in the classroom that adds up to a student receiving a great education. Fun and diverse learning opportunities ensure that youth and young adults will develop their own creative pursuits, expand their education, and prepare for career success. Our Blueprint platform was designed to be an easy-to-use mobile tool that connects all young people to a wide array of learning opportunities. It was built with the generous support and partnership of community leaders and organizations who want to help youth succeed.
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