We’re collaborating with The Connectory, a national resource overseen by the National Girls Collaborative, to make our Maine STEM Resource Bank even better. Our Maine connections and dedication to including important Maine-based STEM resources will now be hosted on a platform using The Connectory’s technology and user interface.
The Reach Center project at MMSA developed the Maine STEM Resource Bank to connect youth in Maine with STEM opportunities that can fuel their passions and increase their knowledge and skills in science, engineering, technology, and math. Over time, we’ve added more than 150 such opportunities throughout the state, concentrating on the rural regions identified as STEM Hubs in MMSA’s STEM Guides project. As the resource has grown, the Reach Center has looked for ways to build partnerships to make the STEM Resource Bank easier to use and more valuable to programs throughout the state.
The Connectory’s platform is a great answer to these questions about how to grow effectively. The national program is partnering with states and other providers throughout the country to create local portals that serve their communities well and still feed into the national resource database. The first of these, North Carolina, is live. Maine is the second state partner to build a local portal.
This collaboration also involves Maine’s inclusion in The Connectory’s Clinton Global Initiative America commitment to expanding the reach of STEM resources through the platform they provide.
Partnering with other STEM resources banks allows Maine opportunities to be included in The Connectory, the most comprehensive portal for STEM offerings nationwide, and allows our visitors to easily expand their search to the national database if, for example, they’re visiting Boston for a weekend or traveling over the summer. We’re very excited as the development on the new Maine STEM Resource Bank continues, and look forward to the launch in September!
