Associates

ICSD-based groups that wish to receive funding and generally benefit from the fundraising efforts of IthacaSTEM can apply to become IthacaSTEM Associates. Along with funding, Associates benefit from IthacaSTEM's coordination of volunteers and mentors, equipment donations, and connection with related groups. Current IthacaSTEM Associates include: 

For more information about each of these IthacaSTEM Associates, scroll down.


VEX IQ Robotics Team 639


To donate to  VEX IQ Robotics Team 639 , please visit this page, enter the dollar amount in the IthacaSTEM Advocates field, and choose Code Red Robotics from the IthacaSTEM Associates pop-up menu.

 


Code Red Robotics


Ithaca High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 639, Code Red Robotics is composed of both students and experienced engineers who work in collaboration for six weeks to produce a robot for a unique challenge each year. Code Red is part of an umbrella organization known as FIRST, which stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. FIRST supports innovation and inspiration in the field of Science and Technology through several programs that cater to students of all ages.

In addition, Code Red members stay active in the community through volunteering at events, demonstrations to the community, and participation in local festivals. The team has participated in events like the State Fair, the Ithaca Festival Parade, The Monroe County Fair, The Puerto Rican Festival, Showtimes at the Sciencenter, and many more. The team also volunteers regularly at Loaves and Fishes, as well as at Taughannock Falls State Park, the Relay for Life, the Cayuga Lake Triathlon, several elementary school playground building projects, Dump ‘n’ Run, and others.

One of the team’s proudest achievements, however, has to do with the FIRST Lego League teams Code Red members have helped start and mentor. Lego League is a division of FIRST for children in elementary School and early middle school. These programs introduce students to the world of science and technology through a hands-on scientific design process. Code Red has been instrumental in starting Lego League teams in every elementary school in the district, and continues to spread to the message of FIRST through the mentoring of younger students.

To learn more about Code Red Robotics, please visit the Code Red Robotics Web site or email Ian Krywe.

The FIRST mission is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership. FIRST was founded in 1989 to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology. Based in Manchester, NH, the 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit public charity designs accessible, innovative programs that motivate young people to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math, while building self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills. To learn more about FIRST, please visit the FIRST Web site.

To make a donation to Code Red, please visit the IPEI Make a Gift page, enter the dollar amount in the IthacaSTEM Advocates field, and choose Code Red Robotics from the IthacaSTEM Associates pop-up menu.

IHS Science Olympiad

The IHS Science Olympiad group is an academic team focused on preparing for Science Olympiad. Held every year in the spring, the Science Olympiad tests individual and partner knowledge of science and technology. Anyone can join. To learn more about the IHS Science Olympiad team, please visit the team's Facebook page or email Artie Jewett.

Science Olympiad is a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of K-12 science education, increasing male, female and minority interest in science, creating a technologically-literate workforce and providing recognition for outstanding achievement by both students and teachers.  These goals are achieved by participating in Science Olympiad tournaments and non-competitive events, incorporating Science Olympiad into classroom curriculum and attending teacher training institutes. Learn more at the Science Olympiad site.

To make a donation to the IHS Science Olympiad team, please visit the IPEI Make a Gift page, enter the dollar amount in the IthacaSTEM Advocates field, and choose IHS Science Olympiad from the IthacaSTEM Associates pop-up menu.

IHS Technology Student Association (TSA)

The IHS TSA team competes in numerous events in regional, national, and international TSA-sponsored technology competitions, and over the years has taken numerous top places. To learn more about the IHS TSA team, please email Bill Sauve.

The Technology Student Association (TSA) is a national, non-profit organization of middle and high school students who have a strong interest in technology. TSA was chartered in 1978 and since then over 2,000,000 students have participated in its program.  Members learn through challenging competitions, leadership activities and community service. Information is available at the TSA Web site.

To make a donation to the IHS TSA team, please visit the IPEI Make a Gift page, enter the dollar amount in the IthacaSTEM Advocates field, and choose IHS TSA from the IthacaSTEM Associates pop-up menu.

DeWitt Middle School Technology Student Association (TSA)

The DeWitt Middle School TSA team has long been a mainstay for high-achieving DeWitt students, boasting a shelf full of state and national trophies in the Technology Student Association competitions. To learn more about the DeWitt TSA team, contact Bob Walters or David Buchner, the team's long-standing advisors.

The Technology Student Association (TSA) is a national, non-profit organization of middle and high school students who have a strong interest in technology. TSA was chartered in 1978 and since then over 2,000,000 students have participated in its program.  Members learn through challenging competitions, leadership activities and community service. Information is available at the TSA Web site.

To make a donation to the DeWitt TSA team, please visit the IPEI Make a Gift page, enter the dollar amount in the IthacaSTEM Advocates field, and choose DeWitt TSA from the IthacaSTEM Associates pop-up menu.

Project Lead The Way

At Ithaca High School, Project Lead The Way (PLTW) offers a set of courses that not only prepare students for engineering majors in college, but also provide college credits at leading universities, including the Rochester Institute of Technology. To learn more about PLTW at Ithaca High, contact Scott Breigle, head of Ithaca High's Technology department.

Project Lead The Way, a non-profit organization with classes taught in 4,700 schools in all 50 states, is the leading provider of rigorous and innovative Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education curricular programs used in middle and high schools across the United States. PLTW's comprehensive curriculum for engineering and biomedical sciences has been collaboratively designed by PLTW teachers, university educators, engineering and biomedical professionals and school administrators to promote critical thinking, creativity, innovation and real-world problem solving skills in students.

The hands-on, project-based engineering courses for high schools and middle schools and biomedical sciences courses for high schools engage students on multiple levels, expose them to areas of study that they typically do not pursue, and provide them with a foundation and proven path to college and career success. The curriculum, delivered through PLTW's Virtual Academy, is provided free of charge to schools that register with PLTW. Classroom equipment — computer software and kits for hands-on activities — along with teacher training, which is required, are the main costs related to the program.

The PLTW curriculum is founded in the fundamental problem-solving and critical-thinking skills taught in traditional career and technical education (CTE), but at the same time integrates national academic and technical learning standards and STEM principles, creating what U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan calls one of the "great models of the new CTE succeeding all across the country." PLTW was recently cited by the Harvard Graduate School of Education as a "model for 21st century career and technical education."

To make a donation to the IHS Project Lead The Way program, which often has significant expenses in purchasing materials and equipment for student projects, please visit the IPEI Make a Gift page, enter the dollar amount in the IthacaSTEM Advocates field, and choose Project Lead the Way from the IthacaSTEM Associates pop-up menu.

Trout in the ICSD Classrooms

Run by the Cayuga Lake Floating Classroom in collaboration with ICSD teachers, the Trout in the ICSD Classrooms project links Ithaca classrooms with classrooms raising trout throughout the region and across the continent.  Cold-water aquariums and trout eggs are maintained in all eight ICSD elementary schools from October to May. Over six months, the students care for the trout, monitor aquarium water quality, and explore stream ecology and the impact of human activity on our environment. The program supports a wide variety of STEM applications made engaging by direct interaction with live trout.  In the spring, classes release surviving trout fingerlings into adopted streams in their community. More information is available on the Trout in the Classroom page; you can also contact coordinator Bill Foster or South Hill teacher Jen Wilkie to learn more.

To make a donation to the Trout in the ICSD Classrooms project, which has significant expenses in both equipment and ongoing maintenance of the aquariums, please visit the IPEI Make a Gift page, enter the dollar amount in the IthacaSTEM Advocates field, and choose Trout in the ICSD Classrooms from the IthacaSTEM Associates pop-up menu.

IHS Dev Team

Ithaca High students interested in iOS programming can join the IHS Dev Team, an after-school club run by ex-IHS and current Cornell student Lucas Derraugh and teacher Fred Deppe. For more information about the IHS Dev Team, contact Lucas.

To make a donation to the IHS Dev Team, which is looking for used Macs with which club members can program on at home, please visit the IPEI Make a Gift page, enter the dollar amount in the IthacaSTEM Advocates field, and choose IHS Dev Team from the IthacaSTEM Associates pop-up menu.

Boynton Math Club

Boynton Middle School students interested in math can join the Boynton Math Club, run by Melissa Smith and Laura Jones. For more information, contact Melissa or Laura.

To make a donation to the Boynton Math Club, please visit the IPEI Make a Gift page, enter the dollar amount in the IthacaSTEM Advocates field, and choose Boynton Math Club from the IthacaSTEM Associates pop-up menu.

Cayuga Heights Elementary Math Olympiad Clubs

The Math Olympiads provide five monthly contests for grade 4–8 math clubs around the world — at our Cayuga Heights Elementary School, the coaches for the 5th grade are Marina Caillaud and Laura Jones; Andrew Myers is coaching the 4th grade club. For more information about the Math Olympiad clubs, contact Laura Jones.

Created in 1977 by Dr. George Lenchner, an internationally known math educator, the Math Olympiads went public in 1979. Last year nearly 150,000 students from 6,000 teams worldwide participated in the Olympiads. All 50 states and about 30 other countries were represented. The goal of the Math Olympiad is:

To make a donation to the Cayuga Heights Elementary Math Olympiad Clubs, please visit the IPEI Make a Gift page, enter the dollar amount in the IthacaSTEM Advocates field, and choose Cayuga Heights Elementary Math Olympiad Clubs from the IthacaSTEM Associates pop-up menu.

IHS Biology

The biology teachers at Ithaca High School strive to provide high quality, engaging, and relevant instruction that will help students develop a solid understanding of and appreciation for the process of science.  We are working with IthacaSTEM to enhance our existing curriculum by raising money for special events, guest speakers, field trips, and classroom materials.

Our first major project is planning a trip to Costa Rica. This trip will take place over February break, 2015, and all interested students who have taken biology have been invited to apply.  Students will have the opportunity to explore vastly different ecosystems in one of the most biologically diverse regions of the world.  They will develop cultural awareness and an understanding of the need for conservation of these natural areas.

Our students are working hard to raise funds that will help defray costs across the board, but this trip remains prohibitively expensive for many families.  Please consider donating to our scholarship fund.  If you have any questions, please contact Leslie Zolnik

To make a donation to IHS Biology, please visit the IPEI Make a Gift page, enter the dollar amount in the IthacaSTEM Advocates field, and choose IHS Biology from the IthacaSTEM Associates pop-up menu.