Location: Atrium

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing our world, but access to quality AI education is lagging, especially in out-of-school time (OST) spaces. STEM Next Opportunity Fund, in partnership with Qualcomm, is tackling this challenge head-on. Through our new Center for Next Level Tech at the Institute for a STEM Ready America, we’re designing, testing, and scaling a national AI literacy framework tailored specifically for afterschool and summer programs.

Join us for an engaging fireside chat with leaders from STEM Next and Qualcomm as we share our journey to create AI learning that is not only accessible but also relevant and exciting for young people. We'll move beyond the buzzwords to explore a project that helps students use data analysis and AI to solve real-world problems, such as reducing paper waste. This session is for anyone who wants to learn how to prepare youth to be creators and innovators—not just consumers—in an AI-driven world.

Location: East Meeting Room

This session explores how regional ecosystems—anchored by local industry and Business Advisory Councils—can be mobilized to connect students with real-world STEM opportunities. Tom Jenkins, Director of Career Connected Learning & Workforce at Montgomery County ESC, will share actionable strategies for designing inclusive, career-connected learning pathways and deploying Career Navigators to align K–12 education, post-secondary options, and workforce needs.

Participants will gain practical tools to foster cross-sector collaboration, co-design student-centered resources, and scale impact through authentic engagement with employers, educators, and community partners. Whether you're building new partnerships or refining existing ones, this session offers replicable models and insights to help students envision—and pursue—their futures in STEM.

Director, Career Connected Learning & Workforce,
Montgomery County ESC/Learn to Earn Dayton

Location: West Meeting Room

One of the core challenges in STEM education is sustaining student interest and motivation. As demand for STEM talent grows, traditional measures of skills and performance are no longer enough; we must also understand what drives learners to stay the course.

This session introduces the Vzable Suite, an AI-powered platform that helps educators reveal each learner’s intrinsic motivators, personalize instruction, and strengthen engagement. Participants will explore how Vzable supports a shift from traditional models to learner-centered approaches that highlight and leverage individual interests and preferred ways of engaging with new material.

The session will share real-world use cases where out-of-school educators have designed more meaningful STEM learning experiences and aligned them with career pathways. Current pilots in both formal and informal settings will also be highlighted. Finally, attendees will see how making motivation visible provides agency to learners and their families, uncovering hidden potential while cultivating problem-solving, collaboration, and persistence, skills essential for future success in STEM fields.

Location: Gallery 1

Corporate and educational nonprofit partnerships can truly impactful for STEM career-connected learning when strong, multiyear collaborations provide more than dollars.

Join us to explore the impact of accessing resources, expertise, relatable role models, and real-world experiences that enhance student engagement and skill development. We'll share our take on how partnerships can bridge the gap between education and industry, ensuring students are better prepared for future careers in STEM fields. Funding is just one crucial component of a vibrant partnership, so we will explore many others during our session, as we share successes and learnings from our work bringing hands-on STEM-focused Chip Camps to youth and their educators in Metro Atlanta with Accenture and Micron Technologies.

You'll walk away with a checklist and as a bonus, we'll get hands-on with one of our mini-builds!

Executive Director, STE(A)M Truck

Grants Processing, Signature Programs Lead,
Micron Gives