COMPETITION BY THE ASSOCIATION: I WANT TO STUDY IN STEM-CLASS!

Finished >3000 participants

What is a STEM-center?

STEM-centers - are classes opened on the basis of general secondary education institutions, where children can free study in main STEM areas under the guidance of specially trained teachers. The abbreviation «STEM» is defined in the following way: S - science, T - technologies, E - engineering, M - mathematics.

In the STEM class curious and talented children can discover the world of programming, robotics, learn 3D-modeling and develop other skills, without which it will be difficult to imagine life in the future society.

To get a modern STEM-center — is realistic.

Your school can be the following institution, where the STEM-center will be opened — the only you need is to take part in the competition «I want to study in a STEM-class»!

 In 2018 the Association «Education for the Future» with the assistance of leading Belarusian IT-companies has opened the STEM-centers in the secondary schools and gymnasiums in Borisov, Baranovichi, Loshnitsa agro-town (Borisov district), and Lelchitsy village.

Opening a STEM-center requires the purchase of the necessary equipment (computers, Lego sets, 3D printers, projectors, etc.), which is donated to the educational institution free of charge, according to the Decree No. 300 of the President of the Republic of Belarus of 1 July 2005.  Also, the association «Education for the Future» will provide sponsorship for teachers to attend a refresher course. The STEM-center allows studying up to 100 pupils, this studying is also free for children. At the same time the educational institution renovates its classroom for its own account, and  also independently chooses the design of the center in accordance with the subject of STEM-direction, which is most interesting for pupils.

Who can participate in the competition?

Any Belarusian school or gymnasium that does not currently have a STEM-center, but children of which are interested in programming, robotics, exact and natural sciences, can take part in the competition “I want to study in a STEM-class!”.

This competition — is the answer to your need.

How to participate in the competition?

In order to become a participant of the competition, it is necessary for an educational institution to fill in a form  on the website of the Association before 31 October 2018. The criteria for selecting schools and gymnasiums  are the following:

  1. The presence of teachers, who are interested in their work, “burning” with enthusiasm, among the teaching staff of an educational institution. They should be ready to take an active part in the STEM-center opening procedure, as well as in its further development. In particular, it is necessary, that among the teaching staff there should be a motivated teacher, who is ready to be the head of the STEM-center and with whom the Association «Education for the Future» could keep in touch in solving the problems of the creation and development of the STEM-center.
  2.  The openness of the school to subsequently sharing teaching experience with other schools.
  3.  The willingness of the educational institution to ensure, that after creation of the STEM-center its pupils should take part in various competitions, devoted to STEM-directions; including those competitions, which are organized by the Association “Education for the Future” (for example, the Minsk Open Robotics Tournament).
  4. Certificates of the active work of teachers and children of the school (participation in various competitions, contests, festivals, conferences, hackathons, etc.).  Moreover, pupils' progress in mathematics and computer science Academic Olympics, as well as the availability of elective courses / learning in circles in robotics or programming, play an important role.
  5. Assistance to the school administration in opening the STEM center, which includes providing a class for the future center and its renovating. Readiness of the administration to taking the refresher courses by the school teachers (at the expense of sponsors).
  6. It is desirable, but not essential that the number of pupils in an educational institution is 1000 and more children.
  7. Priority is given to the educational institutions located in small towns (not regional).
  8. Video from schoolchildren on the topic, why they would like to have a STEM-center, is not compulsory, but it will be a great bonus when organizers will select applications.

According to the results of the first stage of the competitive selection, representatives of the Association “Education for the Future” will contact with the schools for a personal interview.

At the conclusion of the competition 10 Belarusian schools and gymnasiums will be selected, which will constitute the “reserve” of general secondary education institutions. The presence of a school or gymnasium in the “reserve” means that, as the sponsorship will occur, on its basis a STEM-center will be opened in 2019.  Moreover, teachers from selected educational institutions will form a community of advanced and active teachers who will be informed by the Association representatives about a variety of educational events and take part in them.  Besides, the professional orientation conferences “ProIT” for children and young people will be organized in the cities-winners.

We are waiting for your applications!