Friday, January 6, 2023

STEM Tech Webinars and Grants Available


 As seen in the WLA Bulletin 12/23/22

Webinars from GearBox Labs

GearBox Labs, a STEM Education non-profit based in Wisconsin is offering a number of free webinars for libraries. 


In addition, the following was sent out to WI library listservs on 12/29/22


Gearbox Labs has reached out to the WPLC to extend a grant opportunity to Wisconsin Public Libraries. See below for more information.

From Gearbox:

Our 501c3 organization based in Glendale, WI received a grant from the Vela Education Fund to bring engineering, electronics, and coding education workshops to the state with an emphasis on reaching homeschool students, libraries with an interest in expanding makerspace activities, and teachers. Our emphasis in to work with libraries outside of Milwaukee.
 
As background, in 2020, we piloted a similar 3 library program with the Monarch System in Sheboygan County at Random Lake, Plymouth, and Sheboygan libraries that reached 50 students – mostly girls and mostly homeschoolers that was well received. Our application to scale this effort state-wide was accepted by Vela Education Fund and we hope WPLC would help us reach these communities. Also, I am a MLIS graduate of UW-Milwaukee.
 
Out grant’s goals is to go to 7 communities around the state and teach homeschool students, train library staff and local teachers from February to July 2023.
 
There is no cost to the library. For hosting our workshops, we would provide 5 sets of our engineering, electronics, and coding books and kits to the library for check out and future use in its outreach efforts in the community. Participants in the workshops will receive a free book and kit from us. We would also like to offer the same workshop for educators in the area on an adjacent day – preferably at the library as well. Educators would also receive a free book and kit for attending the workshop.
 
We are looking for 7 host libraries around the state that would align with this opportunity and give us space to present two, one-day workshops. One day would be offered to homeschool students and library staff and the second would be for local educators and library staff. The libraries must be geographically dispersed around the state and have a room for us to present to up to 20 participants each day. 
 

If interested, contact: 
Peter Haydock, 
O +1.414.446.4022
C +1.703.340.9434

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WiLS Project Managers
Wisconsin Public Library Consortium
wplc-info@wils.org

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