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Emily is one of several characters being created in animated and print lessons as a part of the NE STEM 4U program to create and field test new educational experiences as a part of the Nebraska Children’s and Families Foundation and Beyond School Bells Expanded Learning Opportunities: Centers of Excellence grant.

The College of Communication Fine Arts and Media, School of Communication is collaborating with STEM TRAIL Center “Big Ideas” project, including this specific grant surrounding the NE STEM 4U program, which is led by faculty advisors Christine Cutucache, Ph.D., Department of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences, Neal Grandgenett, Ph.D., Department of Teacher Education, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, and William Tapprich, Ph.D., Department of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences. To-date, the program has welcomed 200 undergraduates and more than 6,000 youth across Nebraska.

Melodae Morris, APR, SHRM-SCP, lecturer in the School of Communication, began collaborating with the team over the summer on ways to develop and promote program materials for the $30,000 pilot grant project. As a recent graduate from the communication master’s program at UNO, Hayley Jurek joined the team with graphic design and photography skills to create a large and engaging cast of characters, including Emily and her elephant toothpaste, to bring materials and existing program lessons to life.

“We are planning a little contest with the students in the program to give names to all of the characters,” Jurek said.

Specifically, this grant aims to help the team brainstorm innovative ways to expand the reach of NE STEM 4U using digital materials and novel content delivery approaches. First, it moves lesson designs into a web format and downloadable book format, using engaging best practices including interesting activities, marketing, public relations, and graphics to fully engage all learners while making them accommodating and accessible.

Another aim is to generate an innovative model for “STEMware,” for a mailed box-delivery system available for monthly or bi-weekly delivery to serve students without internet access and those in rural locations. Further, these science kits will enhance learning experiences for youth in afterschool, in summer programs, and at home with their families via hands-on experiments and online guided learning (“STEM Kits”).

Christine Cutucache, Ph.D. had this to say about the project, “The NE STEM 4U program was created more than 8 years ago now and our long-term dedication to this program and supporting students remains steadfast. We aim to provide STEM learning for all students during their childhood, and then welcome them to UNO for their formative years to embed them into experiential learning opportunities and take them through an exceptional education.”

The NE STEM 4U program seeks partners for resources and specialized skills like CFAM, which already has a history of collaborating with other organizations. Michael Hilt, Ph.D., Dean, College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media said, “We are pleased that our faculty and graduates can apply their skills to collaborative projects such as NE STEM 4U, supporting students in our communities, who are the STEM-educated professionals of the future.” The UNO “Big Ideas” process has already resulted in collaborations between CFAM and the College of Arts & Sciences in Health Humanities and the Bak Institute project, Hilt said.

CFAM interdisciplinary projects of the past included offering certificates to the military and intelligence communities. “Our biggest cooperative effort was with International Studies in training Afghan Professors,” said Hugh Reilly, Director, School of Communication.

The School of Communication was an essential part of two U.S. State Department grants over the last ten years totaling $3.5 million. UNO faculty traveled oversees to help professors from two universities in Afghanistan to create journalism and communication studies programs, Reilly said.

“The School of Communication has a long and successful history of working with its UNO colleagues on cross-departmental projects,” Reilly said. “We are delighted to be able to participate in projects with the STEM TRAIL Center Big Ideas project and the Beyond School Bells grant.”