STEM Alternative Spring Break
Applications are now open for STEM ASB 2024!
Apply here! We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis.
The priority application date is November 12, 2023.
If you have any questions please contact Alison Horn at ah78@uw.edu or Richard Parra at parrar@uw.edu.
What is STEM ASB?
STEM ASB is a quarter-long program where students take a preparatory EDUC 401 seminar in the Winter quarter (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:30-5:50 pm), then spend the week of UW's Spring Break (March 17 – March 22, 2024) running STEM outreach programming (in teams of 4-5 UW students) with 3rd- to 12th-grade students in rural and tribal communities in Washington state.
What Schools Do We Work With?
Partner schools/organizations
STEM ASB Mentors can choose which partner site they would like to work with. Everyone normally gets placed at their first or second choice. During the spring break week, students also explore the communities they are placed in by engaging in hikes, museum visits, beach days, and drum circle events.
What Will You Learn?
Through the EDUC 401 seminar, ASB Mentors will learn about culturally sustaining pedagogy, gender-responsive teaching, and universal design for learning. They will then apply these frameworks and practices to their team's assigned lesson plan. This approach is based on our curriculum for the 2021 STEM ASB winter quarter seminar which was selected as a 2021 Prize Recipient for the UW Teaching & Learning Symposium. You can view a PDF version of the poster in Google Drive to enlarge the image.
Why Should You Participate in this Program?
Our STEM ASB facilitators inspire the leadership, learning capacities, and interest in science & engineering among the youth of Washington State! Moreover, this is a great opportunity for UW students to meet and build community with other like-minded students who share their passion for STEM and equity.
We would love to have you join our team! Apply here!
STEM Alternative Spring Break and Culture & Science Exchange (CASE) programs are made possible through the generous support of Northwest Earth and Space Sciences Pathways.
Join CASE
Are you interested in making a longer-term commitment?
Join our 2-quarter program where you can work closely with Yakama Nation 6th-graders, and teach them about math, physics, and engineering. Check out our program Culture & Science Exchange (CASE). You can apply for CASE using the same application as above. These projects are supported by NASA and Northwest Earth and Space Sciences Pipeline.
Why should you join STEM ASB?
We could give you a million reasons why you should join STEM ASB. But don’t take our word for it. Take it from past facilitators, student participants, and their parents.
“There was one girl who was very quiet. After the second day, the teacher heard from the girl’s parents that the student could not stop telling them about all the activities because she was so excited about them!”
—UW ASB Mentor
“You all need to become teachers so you can come back soon!”
—8th-grade student
“I just want you all to know that you are remarkable. I watched how you were with our kids all day, and you were really skilled at it — I loved seeing them so engaged! I just want to say thank you for doing this with us.”
—Father of a CASE ASB student
