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Community Corner

STEM Garden Institute—Planting the STEM Learning Seeds of Tomorrow

Learn about an initiative on the North Shore that is promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills through a unique platform – hydroponic gardening. Through the non-profit STEM Garden Institute program, students are not only introduced to the key disciplines of STEM, but they also learn important business and entrepreneurial skills through sales and team-building activities. STEM Garden Institute co-founders Janet and Gerry Lorden, along with Dr. Michael Barnett from the Lynch School of Education at Boston College, will present at the North Shore Technology Council breakfast on Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 7:00 - 9:00 AM (7:00 AM networking and continental breakfast; 8:15 AM program begins). Danversport Yacht Club, 161 Elliott Street, Danvers, MA. Register for this event at www.nstc.org. The registration fee is $25 for NSTC members and $50 for non-members.  E-mail events@nstc.org for more information. Sponsored by Applied Materials.

The STEM Garden Institute was founded in 2010 to address the growing concern that there are simply not enough qualified American candidates to fulfill the growing number of high tech jobs. In fact, if this trend keeps us, the National Commission on Mathematics and Science reports that by 2018, the U.S. may be short as many as three million high-skilled workers. In the North Shore region alone, 16 out of the 20 fastest growing companies are in STEM-related fields.

Through hydroponics, students at the STEM Garden Institute are introduced to the four key disciplines of STEM by learning about subjects such as solar energy, soil chemistry, photosynthesis, and water purification. In addition to the core competencies of STEM, students gain important entrepreneurial skills by selling their products at local farmers markets. They also learn how to work together successfully as a team, value nutrition, and build a stronger sense of community by working closely with towns and schools.

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OUR SPEAKERS

Janet Lorden, executive director of the STEM Garden Institute, has over 20 years of experience working with non-profits and educational institutions to help them define their mission and succeed financially. She has assisted with the development of STEM curriculum through a partnership with the Lynch School of Education at Boston College and has worked with the Boston University School of Medicine to create a bachelor’s degree in Health Care Emergency Management. Additionally, in partnership with the Lynch School of Education she has created, tested and developed the STEM Garden Institute K-12 and after-school curriculum – an engaging, activities-based STEM program.

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Gerald Lorden, co-founder of STEM Garden Institute and senior vice president of one of Wall Street’s premier firms serving the innovation community of New England, brings a unique and diverse background to the STEM mission. As an executive board member for the National Defense Industry Association and a former member of the Independent Review Team for the U.S. Army Venture Capital Initiative, he understands the critical nature of STEM training and education as it relates to national security. For more than 20 years, Gerry has worked to serve the at-risk and underserved populations of Greater Boston through organizations such as Training, Inc., WorldBoston, Mother Caroline Academy, and The Muhammad Ali Study Group.

Dr. Michael Barnett, associate professor of Science Education and Technology at the Lynch School of Education at Boston College, has served as visiting professor at the National Geographic Society, as visiting scholar at American Forests, and serves on the advisory boards of several environmental science-focused federally-funded projects. He has served as principal investigator on multiple major research projects including a study on how to motivate and support urban youth in the pursuit of science as a career, and on a project focused on using iPads coupled with probeware to engage students in field-based science. An advocate for leveraging learning technologies in science education, he has published several journal articles and is a frequent conference speaker on the topic. Michael is former regional editor of the International Journal of Science Education and received a leadership award from the Hewlett-Packard Teaching with Technology Foundation for his work in support of mobile learning in urban high schools. About the North Shore Technology Council

The North Shore Technology Council (NSTC) is a non-profit, volunteer-led organization with a mission to be the leading collaborative for fostering technology businesses in Massachusetts' north-of-Boston region.  The council's mission is to build a strong ecosystem for the success of technology businesses North of Boston by facilitating collaboration, networking, professional growth and economic development in a collegial fashion.  The NSTC welcomes the participation of technology businesses, senior executive and employees of technology businesses, entrepreneurs, companies that support technology businesses, academic and governmental units and non profits.  The council is on the Web at www.nstc.org. Its office is at the Cummings Center, in Beverly, Massachusetts. For more information call, 978-335-5234.

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