Hello All,

We are asking school groups to register in order to manage bus arrival and departure, but otherwise the event is free and open to the public.

Here is a brief summary of what we have so far:

· We have over 1200 students registered to attend, almost evenly distributed between the K-3, 5-8, and 9-12 grades with the middle school grades carrying the slightly largest percentage.

· We have sold 91 booths so far, including 15 Informal Science Education providers, multiple booths to 13 institutions of higher education, and 10 to for-profits industries such as Kendall-Hunt and Lockheed Martin. Activities in the booths will include: live animals from the Denver Zoo, Wild Wings, and the Butterfly Pavilion; interactive virtual simulations from Gizmos and PhET; a tornado generator from UNC and a wind tunnel from CCD; Earth Science manipulatives from Earth Treasures; and much more.

- A large video screen will be running STEM-related videos throughout the event. Submissions include Everest 911 from McClain Arts, video biographies of all the scientists working at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and an inquiry showcase video called “Upward and Outward: Scientific Inquiry on the Tibetan Plateau” from CU Boulder’s Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES).

· We also have space in the back of the exhibit hall reserved for large scale activities including:

o Ten 80 FastTrack Racing – design and race cars

o Red Rocks Community College Process Tech Trailer

o Skylab Planetarium

o WWI Airplane and full-scale sailboat built by students at North High School

o Space Foundation Rocketry – design, build, and launch rockets

o National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s RnE²EW propane-powered alternative energy vehicle and a STEM-focused scavenger hunt complete with prizeso Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s Energy at Play “design and build” class

o UCD Chemistry Department hosting student demonstrations

o DSST’s First Robotics team – a student-centered, competitive robotics engineering program

o One World Learning

· Confirmed luncheon keynote will be Dr. Tom Cech (Nobel Laureate) with an introduction from Governor Bill Ritter

· MESA has confirmed eight schools for the demo area in the main exhibit space and a high school that will do demonstrations for the reception.

· Thursday evening reception at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science for all exhibitors and local area leaders such as the State Board of Education, industry decision makers, and State Legislators. Speakers for the reception will include George Sparks and a Lockheed executive.

· Friday morning and afternoon discussion groups centered on the activities of the WIRED grant participants and their survey outcomes.

· An introductory letter, parent letter template, and two posters went out to every middle and high school in Colorado in August; we will be advertising on school buses in Metro Denver, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo; and we are working on a public service announcement by the Governor.

We also still need research posters (from faculty and students) as well as volunteers. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via phone or email.

Thanks for your help,

Sharon

Sharon D. Unkart

Managing Director

Center for Applied Science and Mathematics for Innovation and Competitiveness (CASMIC)

University of Colorado Denver, Downtown Campus

Campus Box 153

PO Box 173364

Denver, CO 80217-3364

303.556.6543 O

303.556.5993 F

http://www.stemapalooza.org/