Cambridge STEAM Initiative Launches New Website
4/13/2022 • 2 years ago
The information on this page may be outdated as it was published 2 years ago.
For Immediate Release -- The Cambridge STEAM Initiative, a joint venture between the City of Cambridge Department of Human Service Programs,(DHSP) the Cambridge Public School Department, and the Cambridge Public Library, today launched a new website: www.cambridgema.gov/STEAM. The website serves as a central digital hub for the Cambridge community to engage with STEAM resources, programs, and activities in Cambridge.
Created in 2016, the Cambridge STEAM Initiative supports an integrated approach to learning that incorporates STEAM Habits of Mind using any combination of STEAM areas of study - Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math - as access points for inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. Using a racial justice lens to frame all of its efforts, the STEAM Initiative works to ensure that Cambridge residents who are most impacted by systemic inequities have access to high quality STEAM programming, resources, and skill-building opportunities.
“We are thrilled to unveil the Cambridge STEAM Initiative website,” said Sharlene Yang, Director of the Cambridge STEAM Initiative. “This website makes it easier for young people, families, educators, and adults in Cambridge to connect with a variety of STEAM resources available throughout the city, furthering our goal of lowering barriers of access to STEAM learning, engagement, and skill-building.”
The Cambridge STEAM Initiative website features:
- News stories sharing the latest updates and announcements related to the Cambridge STEAM Initiative.
- Upcoming STEAM events, trainings, and workshops offered by the City of Cambridge and the Cambridge Public Library.
- Pre-K – 12th Grade STEAM Resources, including a list of community STEAM programs for youth and STEAM@Home Activities - games, projects, and challenges for young people that can be safely explored at home, in the classroom, and in the community.
- Adult Education and Workplace Training, including information about Cambridge’s role in the local innovation economy and a list of local STEAM Career Training Programs and workshops for adults.
- Educator Resources, including information about how the Cambridge STEAM Initiative supports in-school and Out of School Time (OST) educators through professional development workshops, curriculum development, and STEAM program quality support and assessment.
- STEAM at the Cambridge Public Library, including quick links to The Hive, the Cambridge Public Library’s makerspace offering STEAM tools, technology, and workshops; entry points to the Library’s Tech Bar and Learning Lab; and information about how to access the Library’s free STEAM Activity Kits.
- Twitter updates from the Cambridge STEAM Initiative.
"The Department of Human Service Programs is committed to working with the Cambridge STEAM Initiative to integrate STEAM into our early childhood education programs and initiatives, summer camps, youth and teen programs, and adult learning programs to elevate STEAM learning in our community through a lens of equity and access," said Ellen Semonoff, Assistant City Manager for Human Services. "We are excited that this website will be a new resource for families, adults, and educators in Cambridge."
“The launch of the STEAM website is an important milestone in our effort to provide quality STEAM learning to our community,” said Dr. Maria McCauley, Director of Libraries. “The website will not only highlight the amazing STEAM resources available for community members, it will help to deepen STEAM learning and create pathways of opportunities in STEAM learning and careers.”
“The Cambridge STEAM Initiative is an example of the collaboration that makes this city great. It brings City departments, educators, community organizations, and local employers together to offer high quality STEAM programming and training to residents of all ages, with a focus on engaging people who are traditionally underserved in our community,” said City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “This website will be an exciting resource for our community and a great way to elevate the STEAM Initiative’s impact on our city.”
Link to Q&A with Cambridge STEAM Initiative Director and DHSP Assistant Director of Adult & Family Services.
For more information, visit www.cambridgema.gov/STEAM.