STEM activities for kids during school breaks:

At Virginia Tech we regularly hear about, or are asked about how to engage kids in learning during breaks away from the rigor of school.  Here is a list of DC Area things parents or older siblings can do to involve kids in everyday research and planning tasks that help them realize their research and problem-solving abilities:

STEM Activities for the Breaks and Holidays

For any of the following, a great way to help students develop executive function skills and STEM habits of Mind include having them take leadership in the following:

• Planning the itinerary/schedule

• Background research

• Prepare a budget for the day (food, transportation, admissions, etc.)

• Identifying “must-see” or “must-do” options

• Weather and Safety 

• Older kids taking responsibility for younger kids

Natural Areas

1. George Washington Memorial Parkway

1. Potomac Heritage Trail - Roosevelt Island to Cabin John Bridge (Lone Oak Drive)

2. Shorter hikes at 

1. Windy Run

2. Donaldson Run 

3. Gulf Branch

4. Chain Bridge 

5. Turkey Run

6. Langley Forest

Virginia Tech Summer 2026 AI, Chip Manufacturing, and Physical Computing Camp - Potomac Yard Metro

 Please explore a very interesting, NSF-sponsored camps this summer exploring Artificial Intelligence, Chip Manufacturing, and Physical Computing (Internet of Things) at Virginia Tech's Potomac Yard campus (Metro Blue/Yellow lines).

Formal Recognition in the National Ecosystem

 The Northern Virginia STEM Network began in 2007 as an informal network of CTE and other STEM educators with a focus on growing our own future workforce in Northern Virginia.  Many years later in 2021 we were integrated with the DMV (District, Maryland, Virginia) STEM Learning Ecosystem led by our long-term collaborators at Morgan State University and continued through multiple extensions of their DSEC grant.  

When that DSEC funding ended in 2024 partners were encouraged by supporters at T.I.E.S. to go big for national recognition. Accordingly, we "re-branded" as NoVaWISE (Northern Virginia Workforce Innovations through STEM Education). but were later encouraged to keep the original name.  We are  looking for highly engaged leaders in technical industries, public school leadership, after-school and out-of-school innovators, and workforce development specialists.  

Virginia Tech is supporting the design of a new website.  Until then you can still catch us here at www.NoVaSTEM.net or NoVaSTEM.blogspot.com.

Contact Jim Egenrieder (JimE@vt.edu) to get involved.

AI 101 from VASEM

 The Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine issued a 2025 White Paper, An Introduction to Artificial  Intelligence providing a foundation in topics such including:

• 
  the beginnings of Artificial Intelligence; 
• the emergence of Expert Systems; 
• the rapid evolution of Machine Learning;
• Deep Learning; 
• Generative AI;
• representative applications of AI;
• hallucinations and trust; 
• ethical issues;
• Artificial Intelligence vs. human intelligence, and Artificial General Intelligence; and 
• three visions for an "AI Future".

Read the paper at https://vasem.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/VASEM_AI_WhitePaper-2025.pdf

Teachers: Learn about Invention Education and Change Lives!

 Are you new to Invention Education?  Learn about developing future-ready skills, creativity, and executive function skills in your students? Join the Invention Virginia team on October 20th for our Jumpstart Professional Development! Register now!

https://lnkd.in/eVdkqJ6i

October 20 Invention Education Workshop

 

APS selects 2025-26 AI tools for teaching and operations

 

APS selects AI tools for teaching and operations in coming school year

By Scott McCaffrey

Published August 13, 2025 at 8:30AM

Students at computer (via Anastassia Anufrieva/Unsplash)

Artificial-intelligence tools will play a larger role in Arlington Public Schools classrooms and operations in the coming school year.

After a pilot program last year that involved about 400 educators, the school system has selected SchoolAI as its primary artificial-intelligence tool. In addition, staff will have access to Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini and NotebookLM for professional use.

Superintendent Francisco Durán said that SchoolAI was selected “due to its strong alignment with classroom needs, educator-control features and commitment to student-data privacy.”

“We’re looking at all the ways it can better support our school system,” Durán said in an Aug. 7 briefing to School Board members. “We need to prepare our students and staff for the future.”

The tools being rolled out will support students “with a secure and supportive environment” to explore AI, Durán said at the meeting.

The incorporation of AI tools into the curriculum represents what could be the biggest technological leap in the nation’s classrooms since computers first made their appearance in the 1980s.

AI will also provide opportunities for the county school system to be “more efficient and fiscally conscious,” School Board member Mary Kadera said at the meeting.

She pointed to the use of AI programs to streamline scheduling and optimize bus routes as opportunities going forward.