Here is information about four programs that have grown in participation in Indiana for after-school students.
IndianaFIRST, a nonprofit founded in 2001, is a growing robotics program in the state for K-12 students. This year at the high school level there are plans for three district competitions, with a final pool of 32 state finalists competing at the 2017 Indiana State Championship at Huntington North High School.
Contact: Renee Becker-Blau, executive director
http://www.indianafirst.org/
STEM Scouts, a national pilot program from the Boy Scouts of America, is focused on fun ways for girls and boys in grades 3-12, to learn more about science, technology, engineering and mathematics. STEM Scouts offers a scouting experience with less emphasis on the outdoors. There are labs around the state.
Contact: 317-813-7125
Address: 7125 Fall Creek Road North, Indianapolis, IN 46256 Email: stemscoutsindy@scouting.org
https://stemscouts.org/find-a-lab/council/1/indianapolis/#labs
1st Makerspace: A program just gaining traction. Begun in 2015, it connects formal and informal learning by providing hands-on “making” opportunities to enrich and add value to education in the STEM areas.
Contact: Kim Brand, president
Address: 1010 E. Michigan St.; Indianapolis, IN 46202
http://www.1stmakerspace.com/for-educators
CoderDojo: CoderDojo Indiana (CDI) is a regional partnership formed by the TechPoint Foundation for Youth, the CoderDojo Foundation, and coding clubs throughout the state. Initial funding for this program was provided through a partnership with Eleven Fifty Academy. CDI focuses both on helping to grow new CoderDojo sites as well as strengthening existing ones.
Contact: Courtney Lambert, CoderDojo State Coordinator
Address: 5255 Winthrop Ave. #150; Indianapolis, IN 46220
https://www.techpointyouth.org/coderdojo/
