Connecting With STEM Opportunities - Branzell and Amanda

Connecting With STEM Opportunities - Branzell and Amanda

For this episode Becky and Chris interview Branzell Porchia, STEM Program Manager, and Amanda Paterson, Computer Science Program Manager with WDC + STEM.  They have a great passion for connecting  teachers and kids with stem resources in our state.  Two take aways: 1) the big impact we can have on students when we give them powerful learning experiences and 2) the vast number of opportunities that Idaho offers to help prepare students for STEM and the workforce. Resources links:   Idaho STEM Action Center https://stem.idaho.gov/ [https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstem.idaho.gov%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cstoker.chris%40westada.org%7C6a20b8e74bfe4ff7651c08de94b296f4%7Ce0d6252b4a93477e885c3a03eebc7753%7C0%7C0%7C639111691934569070%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=flP9RsY%2BBt71JRCy6%2BGqRddnvlc%2F43psJ9dfn8YtJP0%3D&reserved=0] Next Steps Idaho https://nextsteps.idaho.gov/ [https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnextsteps.idaho.gov%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cstoker.chris%40westada.org%7C6a20b8e74bfe4ff7651c08de94b296f4%7Ce0d6252b4a93477e885c3a03eebc7753%7C0%7C0%7C639111691934596887%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=4CXHc8FhvCZNdSg3FJCYI4IqJ7AkQi7a%2By5bC9TtPF4%3D&reserved=0] Launch Scholarship https://nextsteps.idaho.gov/launch [https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnextsteps.idaho.gov%2Flaunch&data=05%7C02%7Cstoker.chris%40westada.org%7C6a20b8e74bfe4ff7651c08de94b296f4%7Ce0d6252b4a93477e885c3a03eebc7753%7C0%7C0%7C639111691934617090%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=IFcU2w86SsuREr1SWJCgnk5FEAMuXKsIn%2F1WVfj%2FjoE%3D&reserved=0] STEM Diploma Scholarship https://stem.idaho.gov/stem-id/ [https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstem.idaho.gov%2Fstem-id%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cstoker.chris%40westada.org%7C6a20b8e74bfe4ff7651c08de94b296f4%7Ce0d6252b4a93477e885c3a03eebc7753%7C0%7C0%7C639111691934636476%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=B9EOx9qox0CrbDJRBuG30WVedK3x6qAZMkvH51BM1OM%3D&reserved=0] Learning Blade https://stem.idaho.gov/learning-blade/ [https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstem.idaho.gov%2Flearning-blade%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cstoker.chris%40westada.org%7C6a20b8e74bfe4ff7651c08de94b296f4%7Ce0d6252b4a93477e885c3a03eebc7753%7C0%7C0%7C639111691934655625%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ICorL%2BdpDyEcbDYEAtOE8ei5Fqapk0EhM%2BS1ArE2bpc%3D&reserved=0] Code.org https://code.org/en-US [https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcode.org%2Fen-US&data=05%7C02%7Cstoker.chris%40westada.org%7C6a20b8e74bfe4ff7651c08de94b296f4%7Ce0d6252b4a93477e885c3a03eebc7753%7C0%7C0%7C639111691934675874%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=q608cvDnwXCvwly815TR3xRn9pUulkk56o3ruwSvXe0%3D&reserved=0] EngineeringbyDesign https://www.iteea.org/engineering-bydesign [https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.iteea.org%2Fengineering-bydesign&data=05%7C02%7Cstoker.chris%40westada.org%7C6a20b8e74bfe4ff7651c08de94b296f4%7Ce0d6252b4a93477e885c3a03eebc7753%7C0%7C0%7C639111691934695369%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=l6YBfmMDCwB%2Fz%2Be9T1gpWz8Qs8xvfbo951u23iQhG6o%3D&reserved=0] Idaho Science and Engineering Fairs https://stem.idaho.gov/idsef/ [https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstem.idaho.gov%2Fidsef%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cstoker.chris%40westada.org%7C6a20b8e74bfe4ff7651c08de94b296f4%7Ce0d6252b4a93477e885c3a03eebc7753%7C0%7C0%7C639111691934716000%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=YW8zJURgw%2B2EB4Dn3kyTetc%2BM4M6C30o%2BFG%2Blop6n8A%3D&reserved=0] Hour of AI https://stem.idaho.gov/csedweek/ [https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstem.idaho.gov%2Fcsedweek%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cstoker.chris%40westada.org%7C6a20b8e74bfe4ff7651c08de94b296f4%7Ce0d6252b4a93477e885c3a03eebc7753%7C0%7C0%7C639111691934735286%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ifsl20DDVFs1Tx%2FYBM21284KE4Vh%2BC1%2Bxx2hzalOCVg%3D&reserved=0] ISTEM https://stem.idaho.gov/istem/ [https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstem.idaho.gov%2Fistem%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cstoker.chris%40westada.org%7C6a20b8e74bfe4ff7651c08de94b296f4%7Ce0d6252b4a93477e885c3a03eebc7753%7C0%7C0%7C639111691934754140%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=92TqjK2nSPs82%2F4GV%2Fb4MIQQqvmucHIoaIQj2RGR41o%3D&reserved=0]

A February Reset For Science Teachers

In this episode Chris shares 4 things he would do if he were jumping back into a classroom to start February. These are ideas that would hopefully help when your class (or you) are starting to drag before spring break.  They are 1) stop explaining so much, 2) simplify and streamline, 3) protect your energy, and 4) double down on what works.

Students talk about the STEM Student Ambassador program

In this episode, Chris interviews 5 students about the Idaho EcosySTEM Student Ambassador program. Through this program, students in 6-12th grade engage in hands-on projects, participate in industry tours, and build collaboration and leadership skills while making a meaningful impact in their school and community. It is modeled after the Chief Science Officer Program. Learn more here [https://community.idahostem.org/page/studentambassador].

"Be Courageous in Making Changes for Education" with Carrie and Camp

In this episode, Becky and Chris interviewed Carrie and Camp, two educators from the New England Innovation Academy (NEIA) near Boston.  They are doing some great things with students, and we are excited to share the conversation with you.  Even though they teach are a small innovative school, almost all of their ideas could be implemented in any school setting.

Billy Almon's keynote "Winds, Waves, & Tides: Why Now is the Time to Dream Big"

Billy Almon was a keynote speaker at the 2025 Idaho STEM Conference in Meridian Idaho on July 30-August 1st, 2025. Billy's bio: Over the last 10 years Billy has been traveling the globe exploring how biological strategies can be used to inspire solutions for humans, a concept known as Biomimicry. Billy is also the co-host of Little Giants, a tv series on Animal Planet. For more than a decade Billy worked as an Imagineer for the Walt Disney Company, where he honed his talents as a storyteller, inventor, futurist, and world-builder. He has a Bachelor of Architecture from Howard University and a Master of Science in Biomimicry from Arizona State University. In addition to his strong storytelling efforts, Billy also uses insights from biology to highlight ideas for space exploration. Learn more at his website:Billy Almon, The Astrobiofuturist | STEM, Space & Biomimicry Speaker [https://www.billyalmon.com/]