Computer Science Festival 2024 FOURTH ANNUAL JUNE 10TH-14TH #CSinthesunshine
Things to know
On behalf of the Planning Committee, WELCOME to the Fourth Annual Florida Computer Science Fest! We are honored that you have chosen to spend the week learning with us! As a team, we have worked together over the past 9 months to bring you a learning experience that will be inquiry-based, hands-on, and material intensive! We hope that you will explore and learn with your materials and bring your new skills and experiences to your students as school opens this year! We challenge you to come each day with an open-minded, taking a creative problem-solving approach, to try new things, to play, and most importantly -- to have fun learning!
WIFI Name & Password: Name: EdTech Password: Edtech2023
Bring your laptop daily
CLO Map
Daily Schedule 6-6-10-24 | 8:30AM-3:30PM
8:30-9:00
Sign-In, Coffee & Collaboration
9:00-9:15
Welcome
9:15-10:00
Session A
10:00-10:15
Break
10:15-11:00
Session B
11:00-11:45
Session C
11:45-12:30
Lunch
12:45-1:30
Session D
1:30-1:45
Break
1:45-2:30
Session E
2:30-3:15
Session F
3:15-3:30
Closing Remarks, Wrap Up & Daily Evaluation
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Session Descriptions
Presenters: David Francisco
Closing the Digital Divide with Learning.com
Sessions: Monday 5E & 5F
Come learn more about how Learning.com helps to promote digital equity amongst students! This session will provide an overview of the Florida Rural Digital Literacy & Computer Science Program. The program is available to all public school districts and charter schools in counties with less than 15,000 K-12 student enrollments at no cost. Founded in 1999, Learning.com provides educators with solutions to prepare their students with critical digital literacy and computer science skills. Our web-based curriculum for grades K-12 engages students as they learn keyboarding, online safety, IT fundamentals, computational thinking, computer science and coding, and more. Further information about the Florida State Program can be found here: https://info.learning.com/florida-state-digital-literacy-program
Presenters: Ashley Woodard
Girls Who Code
Sessions: Monday 3B & 3C
Learn with Girls Who Code!
Presenters: Julia Mayeshiba
Mobile App Development
Sessions: Monday 4E & 4F
Ready to save the Princess and squash some Goombas? In this session participants will get the opportunity to develop a video game character using Bloxels.
Session Descriptions
Presenters: Julia Mayeshiba
Augmented and Virtual Reality
Sessions: Monday 4B, 4C & 4D
Time to do some city planning. In this session you will get to see how civil engineers, architects, and builders use augmented reality to visualize community infrastructure prior to designing and building. Using CoSpaces, participants will have the opportunity to create and build a footbridge in a virtual environment.
Presenters: Kathy Schofield
CS 50 Intro to Scratch
Sessions: Monday 1D
Elements of coding with Scratch are a competency on the computer science exam. In this session you will learn about resources for both learning and teaching Scratch. This will provide an overview with introduction to programming using Scratch, a visual programming language via which aspiring programmers can write code by dragging and dropping graphical blocks (that resemble puzzle pieces) instead of typing out text.
Presenters: Matt Schofield and Melissa Wright
Koding Kids -Literacy in STEM
Sessions: Monday 5D Tuesday 2A
Join us as we explore the power of storytelling to make STEM come alive for all students. This session, Literature in STEM , explores how literature can be a powerful tool for cultivating a deeper understanding of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts. We will dive into a hands-on learning experience in Scratch where you can interact with the characters through games and animations.
Session Descriptions
Presenters: Angelica Ochoa
STEAM/STEM Nights at schools
Sessions: Monday 3E/F
Bring a STEAM night to your school, Ideas, funding, and
Presenters: Simone Smith
Learning Blade: Empowering Students to see their future in Computer Science Careers
Sessions: Monday 3D
In this session, participants will learn how to use the fully funded Learning Blade system and explore its many classroom applications. Learning Blade is a system of interactive online lessons, teacher lesson plans, and Intro to Coding course aligned to 5th-9th grade standards. Students learn about high-demand STEM, CTE and Computer Science careers while applying academics to real-world scenarios. This fall, we're launching a new AI short course that delves into the background and ethical use of AI. This course promises to enrich any classroom environment and set the tone for AI practices. Students have access to over 400 online lessons in the twelve human- centered "Missions" to explore exciting careers and technologies aligned to state standards. Teachers also have access to dozens of lesson plans that support innovative project-based learning and classroom activities using common materials. For the best session experience, request your free Learning Blade account at least 24 hours prior at www.LearningBlade.com/FL
Session Descriptions
Presenters: Robert Lane
Programming the LEGO SPIKE Prime for Beginners
Sessions: Monday 2B/C & 2E/F
Participants will learn the basics of Python programming while using the LEGO SPIKE Prime. The LEGO SPIKE Prime is an engaging way to teach students the power of Python.
Presenters: Lee Ann Jones and Kelly Reddin
LEGO Education CS Foundations for Beginners Part A
Sessions: Monday 1B/C & 1E/F
Join us for this fun, hands-on learning introductory experience with LEGO Education to discover how SPIKE Essential and SPIKE Prime can easily incorporate creativity, inquiry, and collaboration across the curriculum to build important foundations for student learning in computer science. We will dig into programming concepts, robotics designs and content connections. This course is approriate for those who are new to LEGO education or would like a refresher introduction course.
Presenters: Lorena Dominey
3D Printing: The Additive Advantage
Sessions: Monday 5A/B
This immersive course introduces teachers to the exciting world of 3D printing and modeling. Participants will learn the fundamental concepts, terminology, and techniques required to create, modify, and print 3D models.
Session Descriptions
Presenters: Lisa Herring
Coding with Scratchy!
Sessions: Tuesday 4B/C
Scratch Jr. is an APP that teaches young people how to program computers to create interactive stories and games. Students snap together programming blocks to make scenes and characters move, jump, dance, change costumes, and sing. Join me as we explore what can be done using Scratch Jr.
Presenters: Nadine Ebri
Play, Code, Learn: Teaching Coding with Minecraft Made Easy
Sessions: Tuesday 3E/F
Dive into the vibrant world of Minecraft Education for a transformative coding workshop designed for beginners and non-gamers alike. In this session, we’ll start from the ground up, ensuring all participants feel at ease and empowered within Minecraft’s immersive environment. Our journey is dual-purpose: not only will you learn foundational coding skills, but you'll also discover how to apply these techniques effectively in your teaching. Participate in lively discussions, hands-on activities, and real-time coding challenges, all hosted within the dynamic realm of Minecraft Education. We’ll also provide guidance on how to access these essential coding tools and resources. Join us to revolutionize your educational approaches and emerge as a champion of Minecraft coding in your classroom. Start your adventure here—no prior experience needed! Note: Please bring a laptop or an iPad with Minecraft Education installed to fully engage in the session. Download it for free at https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/get-started/download
Session Descriptions
Presenters: Rebecca Miller
micro:bit and the Pulse Sensor
Sessions: Tuesday 5E & 5F
Participates will learn how to use the micro:bit to implement a pulse measurement device
Presenters: Janalyn Peppel & Jennifer Sabo
Digital Art for Virtual and Augmented Reality
Sessions: Tuesday 3B & 3C
Use Cospaces.io to create 3D digital art for storytelling, animation, and coding. This is a hands-on workshop designed to teach practical skills for the classroom and apply lessons for all ages and abilities.
Presenters: Lisa Herring
Code and Go MouseBot
Sessions: Tuesday 4E/F Wednesday 4E/F
Code and Go MouseBot is a perfect way to introducing coding to kids in grades PK-1st (possible 2nd). The MouseBot is easy to program, hands- on, and screen free (no iPad or computer needed). Students practice writing code on paper then follow the code by pressing the buttons on the Bots to make it move. In this session, you will leave with a Code and Go Mouse plus the tile maze blocks used to make a maze, one PK-K coding mat, and one advanced mat-both are samples to take home with you!
Session Descriptions
Presenters: Lee Ann Jones and Kelly Reddin
LEGO Education CS Foundations for Beginners Part B
Sessions: Tuesday 1B/C & 1E/F
Continuation of Monday's Part A course. Join us for this fun, hands-on learning introductory experience with LEGO Education to discover how SPIKE Essential and SPIKE Prime can easily incorporate creativity, inquiry, and collaboration across the curriculum to build important foundations for student learning in computer science. We will dig into programming concepts, robotics designs and content connections. This course is approriate for those who are new to LEGO education or would like a refresher introduction course.
Presenters: Byronelle Williams
Cyber Assets
Sessions: Tuesday 5A
Do you have an interest in teaching Cybersecurity? I would love to share resources I have been introduced to while attending the NICEK12 Cybersecurity Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, and the Cyber Launch Competition in Orlando. Let's learn some foundational cybersecurity concepts together using Sphero Bolt robots!
Presenters: Lisa Herring
Hour of Code
Sessions: Tuesday 4A
The Hour of Code is a free introduction to computer science through fun activities and videos for learners of all skill levels. This year's celebration of both coding and AI is supported by over 400 partners, 20,000 educators, and 58,000 volunteers. Let’s learn about how we can plan and facilitate an Hour of Code!
Session Descriptions
Presenters: Byronelle Williams
The 4 C's of a Makerspace
Sessions: Tuesday 5B/C
Join us for fun hands-on learning experiences with circuits, conductors, Makey Makey, and Arduino focused on the 4C's of a Makerspace. Inspire your students to create, problem solve, and innovate.
Presenters: Robert Lane
Programming the LEGO SPIKE Prime Intermediate
Sessions: Tuesday 2B/C & 2E/F (Intermediate)
Participants will continue to build on the skills learned in the basics of Python programming while using the LEGO SPIKE Prime. This intermediate session is the next step in the programming the LEGO SPIKE Prime with Python. The LEGO SPIKE Prime is an engaging way to teach students the power of Python.
Presenters: Kathy Schofield
Congressional App Challenge
Sessions: Tuesday 3A
Participants will learn about the Congressional App Challenge. The Congressional App Challenge would love to see all students learn to code, regardless of previous experience. They highly encourage students to participate even if they’ve never coded before! In 2022, 35% of our participants described themselves as beginners before entering the competition. Come and learn how our students can join in on the fun!
Session Descriptions
Presenters: Christopher Cantrell
FTCE CS Certification Boot Camp
Sessions: Wednesday 4 B/C (Part A) Thursday 4 B/C (Part B) 4 E/F (Part C)
This session will provide an in-depth review of the current FLDOE computer science certification content. Throughout this session, participants will see a variety of key concepts that they should know in order to pass the exam. The goal with the CS certification boot camp is ultimately to help participants pass the exam.
Presenters: Brad Gardner
Lemon Battery
Sessions: Wednesday 3A
In this lesson session participants take on the roles of electrical engineers, chemical engineers, battery scientists and mechanical engineers. They work together collaboratively to build a battery from a lemon, alligator clip wires, and an LED. Once the battery has been completed, they use the steps of an engineering design process to design and construct a switch for their battery system.
Session Descriptions
Presenters: Angelica Ochoa
Make Arcade
Sessions: Wednesday 1A
Develop your programming skills by quickly creating and modding retro arcade games with Blocks and JavaScript in the MakeCode editor.
Presenters: Lee Ann Jones and Kelly Reddin
Building CS Foundations with LEGO Education with Scratch Part (Intermediate to Advanced)
Sessions: Wednesday 1B/C & 1E/F
We will be exploring activities to do with LEGO Education SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential beyond the beginning levels. **Must have used either one or both in your classroom previously. Participants are highly encouraged to bring stories, photos, and/or videos to share from thier usage of the kits with their students. ***Please have your kits sorted and hubs updated prior to the session starting.***
Presenters: Dr. Meize Guo & Don Miller
CS (for) Everyone: Integrating Computational Thinking and Computer Science Across K-12 Curricula
Whole Group Session in Auditorium Session D
This workshop will provide K-12 educators with practical strategies and resources for integrating Computational Thinking (CT) and Computer Science (CS) into various subject areas. You'll also learn about upcoming opportunities and online resources for K-12 educators at the CS Everyone Center for Computer Science Education at the University of Florida.
Session Descriptions
Presenters: Robert Lane
Advanced Python Programming with the LEGO SPIKE Prime
Sessions: Wednesday 2B/C & 2E/F
Participants will learn advanced Python programming while using the LEGO SPIKE Prime. The LEGO SPIKE Prime is an engaging way to teach students the power of Python.
Presenters: Brad Gardner and Lorena Dominey
Farmbeats
Sessions: Wednesday 3B/C & 3E/F
Learn about data-driven farming using AI, Machine learning and IoT with free curated curriculums and lessons from Microsoft. Students can immerse themselves with hands-on activities and build a garden monitoring system with this kit.
Presenters: Lorena Dominey
Day of Data
Sessions: Wednesday 2A Thursday 4A
Celebrate data with NASA and Microsoft! We're excited to collaborate with NASA to bring you the Day of Data: Rockets program, where your students explore how data powers our astronauts, our space missions, and our world. Celebrate data with on- demand conversations with astronauts, lesson plans, and virtual experiences. Prepare your students for the future by tapping into their creativity and curiosity with NASA and Microsoft Hacking STEM. Take them on a journey to outer space!
Session Descriptions
Presenters: Willie Henderson
Hands-On cybersecurity for Grades K-5 with CYBER.ORG
Sessions: Thursday 2C
In an increasingly digital world, it is crucial for 3-8 educators to understand the significance of cybersecurity and impart its relevance to young learners. This session intends to equip teachers with essential knowledge about cybersecurity while providing them with engaging activities to introduce and reinforce cyber safety concepts to their students. This session will empower educators with the tools and techniques needed to cultivate a cyber-resilient generation.
Presenters: Willie Henderson
Cybersecuirty Essentials for Middle and High School Educators with CYBER.ORG
Sessions: Thursday 2E
With the rise of online threats and the increasing significance of technology in our lives, cybersecurity education has become more vital than ever before. Join us as we highlight CYBER.ORG’s Cybersecurity Resources and the CYBER.ORG Virtual Range to teach engaging lessons and labs while exploring the methods of various cybersecurity related events. Attendees will receive free access to the cyber range to use on their laptop for the workshop. Various cyberattacks will be demonstrated by CYBER.ORG staff and performed by attendees in their own virtual machines within the CYBER.ORG Range. Methods used to mitigate these attacks will be discussed as well. Participants will receive an introduction to CYBER.ORG courses, explore tools used by security researchers, and step through cyberattacks against a target system on the cyber range.
Session Descriptions
Presenters: Lee Ann Jones
LEGO Education Advanced with Scratch Word Blocks
Sessions: Thursday 1B/C & 1E/F
We will be exploring Scratch word block coding activities to do with LEGO Education SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential beyond the intermediate levels. *Must have used either one or both in your classroom previously. Participants are highly encouraged to bring stories, photos, and/or videos to share from their usage of the kits with their students. ***Please have your kits sorted and hubs updated prior to the session starting.***
Presenters: Angelica Ochoa
Animation In the Elementary 3rd - 6th
Sessions: Thursday 2A & 2B
Deepen your understanding of animation using 3D animation tools provided by anim8:3D. Participants become producers, directors, and voice actors after creating a dancing 3D character and telling an original story with 3D animation.
Presenters: Brad Gardner
Computer Science Fundamentals K-5
Sessions: Thursday ALL DAY 3A-F
Designed to be fun and engaging, Code.org’s progression of Computer Science Fundamentals courses for K-5 educators blend online computer and "unplugged" non-computer activities to teach students computational thinking, problem solving, programming concepts and digital citizenship.
Session Descriptions
Presenters: Melissa Wright
AI with Code.org
Sessions: Thursday 1A
Spark students' interest in technology and help them understand the world around them in a deeper way. Inspire students to think creatively and innovate, as they explore the potential applications of AI. Encourage students to develop essential skills as they learn to design, build, and evaluate AI systems.
Presenters: Lorena Dominey
3-D Pens
Sessions: Thursday 2F Friday 4A
When people think of 3D printing, they often envision large, expensive machines used in factories or labs. However, there's a more accessible technology for creating 3D objects: 3D pens. They enable users to create three-dimensional objects by hand, without the need for a computer or specialized software, allowing for real-time creation.
Presenters: Lisa Herring
Monkeying around with Makey Makey
Sessions: Friday 4B/C
Have you ever played a piano by using only bananas? If not, then join me as we look into the world of Makey Makey. You ask, “What is a Makey Makey?” A Makey Makey is a circuit board that encourages students to find creative ways to interact with computers by using everyday objects to replace keyboards and mouse on computers. In this session, you will learn how to make a banana piano and other fun activities that you can bring back to your classroom to use.
Session Descriptions
Presenters:
Introduction to Drones
Sessions: Friday 3A
In this session you will pilot small, aerial vehicles. Using a simple UAV you will learn important vocabulary surrounding the use of personal drones. In addition you will learn important basic features of drones, as well as vocabulary of movement in space.
Presenters: Angelica Ochoa
Drone Challenge
Sessions: Friday 3A Friday 3B/C
Session A- Introduction to Drones Session B/C-Woz drone payload challenge
Presenters: Lee Ann Jones
Making the Connections from Scratch to Python with SPIKE Prime: A friendly Introduction to Python
Sessions: Friday 1B/C
This hands on, SUPER Friendly session is designed for participants who have previously used SPIKE Prime in their classroom or have attended up through the intermediate sessions earlier this week. The goal of this session is to make connections between Scratch and Python, explore Psuedocode at an introductory level and assist teachers to have an understanding of how to navigate Python within the SPIKE App as well as how to guide thier students. Teachers do not need any prior experience with Python. **Please have your SPIKE Prime Kit sorted and Hub updated. If you are an elementary teacher and do not have a SPIKE Prime kit, there will be a limited few on hand to borrow.
Meet the presenters
I am a graduate from the University of Florida. My degree is in Sociology. Prior to teaching I was an ASQ Certified Quality Improvement Associate with LifeSouth. After a few years of climbing the nonprofit corporate ladder, I decided to go back to school and become a teacher. I am certified in Elementary Education, Computer Science, and Social Sciences. I have been Computer Science and Instructional Technology for 10 years.
Angelica Ochoa
A former K-5 STEM teacher and Middle School ICT teacher, Ashley enjoys sharing her knowledge and encouraging teachers
to get students involved in Tech.
Ashley Woodard
Meet the presenters
Brad Gardner is a proud father of three kids, an avid surfer, and lifelong educator. He has been teaching elementary school K-6 for over 15 years. As a USF graduate, Brad has been an FLL Robotics coach since 2015 and has endorsement/teacher experience in Gifted, ESE, Reading and ESOL. He has traveled to Microsoft headquarters in Seattle to participate in a Hackathon and help them develop their Hacking STEM curriculum. Brad is also a certified Code.org and Woz Ed teacher trainer. If he is not spending quality family time, catching waves, or teaching in the classroom, Brad can probably be found searching for or sharing cutting edge lesson plans designed to excite students while also preparing them for real world jobs in the digital age.
Brad Gardner
Byronelle Williams has been a classroom teacher since 1994 at the middle and high school levels. She is currently teaching Intro. to Programming, Programming Essentials, IT Systems and Applications and IT Directed Study at Baker County High School. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Ed from UNF, and a MAT degree in Educational Technology from Webster University. Byronelle recently earned a graduate certificate in cybersecurity education through the National Cybersecurity Teaching Academy, and completed 4 weeks of intensive AI and Machine Learning training through The Coding School. The STEM2Hub made it possible for Byronelle to attend a two week Hacking STEM training and Hackathon at Microsoft Headquarters in Redmond, Washington. Mrs. Williams and her husband Donnie have 3 children and 4 grandchildren.
Byronelle Williams
Meet the presenters
Christopher Cantrell has taught computer science at Q.I. Roberts Jr-Sr. High School for the last 3 years. During this time he has taught: AP CSP, AP CSA, AICE CS, AI, eSports, and a HTML course. He has taught internationally during the summer and loves all things computer science. He is a UF graduate and is certified to teach Computer Science K-12 and Business Education 6-12. Cantrell also leads an eSports program at QIR, and they won a national championship this past year.
Christopher Cantrell
David Francisco is the State Program Manager for Florida at Learning.com. With a B.A. in English/Language Arts and M.S. in Literacy Education, David taught in the Rochester, NY area for 10 years and quickly realized the importance of integrating technology & digital literacy skills into the ELA curriculum. He found his home in education technology with Learning.com in 2022, starting as a Sales Development Representative and now managing a state- funded digital literacy initiative for the company in Florida, working with rural educators. David is passionate about finding equitable learning experiences for all students.
David Francisco
Meet the presenters
Don is an artist and educator working as part of The Kenneth C. Griffin CS Education for All Initiative at the University of Florida. He has worked for the last decade promoting K-12 CS education nationwide. Don graduated from NYU’s ITP graduate program in 2011. After that, he served as the Senior Director of Computer Science Academics for the NYC Department of Education. As part of the Mayor’s CS4All initiative, Don worked to bring computer science to all 1.1 million NYC public school students. After relocating to Florida, he worked for Code.org as a Regional Manager, managing 15 university and nonprofit partners in eight states to facilitate the training of thousands of new computer science teachers at hundreds of schools across the USA. Don’s creative work includes the development of software-based video synthesizers and use of nearly obsolete electronics to create psychedelic low-resolution video art. He has performed, exhibited, and lectured worldwide. Much of the software he creates has been released for free and is open source.
Don Miller
Janalyn Peppel is a graphic designer and 3D technologist from Gainesville, Florida. She received her B.S. from the University of Florida College of Journalism. She has been teaching 3D design to teachers and students for the past seven years through programs at Arts 4 All Florida and New Tech Now.
Janalyn Peppel
Meet the presenters
Jennifer Sabo is the Executive Director of Arts4All Florida and provides leadership and management to Arts4All Florida’s statewide arts organization, supervising all functions related to administration, fundraising, and programming. Prior to arriving at Arts4All Florida, Ms. Sabo served as Executive Director at the Children’s Museum of Alamance County, Director of Education at the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, and Youth Programs Manager at the Ringling Museum of Art. Ms. Sabo serves as a member of the Parent Involvement and Engagement Strategic Planning Committee for the Florida Department of Education- Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services and as a panel reviewer for a variety of grants. Ms. Sabo has a Master of Arts in Museum Studies with a concentration in Education from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Jennifer Sabo
Julia is a voracious learner with a passion for creating authentic learning experiences that get kids thinking, creating, and collaborating. Before working with Woz ED, she loved teaching math and physics at Andrew Jackson High School in Duval County. Here, she always strove to connect her content with careers. She was even named the 2023 Duval County Teacher of the Year! Julia infuses everything she does with an ethic of care. She combines this with her enthusiasm for science to make quality STEM and science education more accessible for students and teachers. When she’s not creating at Woz ED, Julia is scuba diving, snorkeling, gardening, or cooking at her current home base in Guam.
Julia Mayeshiba
Meet the presenters
Kelly Reddin started Inspiring Your Creativity LLC after more than 45 years in business and education. She has worked as Chief Accountant for a community college and most recently was a Global Master Trainer and Solutions architect for LEGO Education. Having worked in all 50 states, Europe, and Asia with small schools to large school districts and with small companies to large organizations, Kelly presents keynotes, joins panel discussions, and provides hands-on, engaging learning sessions on creativity, team building, communication, and STEM.
Kelly Reddin
Lisa Herring is currently a K-5 STEM teacher in Saint Johns County. She has taught many years in the classroom before moving onto being a Media Specialist then a full-time STEM teacher. In 2019, Lisa has the opportunity to spend two weeks in Seattle, Washington participating in Microsoft's Hacking STEM program. Currently, she is a facilitator for code.org specializing in both CSF and CSD (she just stepped down from this position). Lisa has participated in many classes such as LEGO Education (WeDo 2.0, SPIKE Essentials, SPIKE Prime), Makey Makey, BeeBots, SCRATCH 3.0, SCRATCH Jr, Sphero, and Ozobots. In her free time, Lisa and her husband travel the world and spend time with the family.
Lisa Herring
Meet the presenters
Lee Ann Jones is a former PK-12 classroom teacher primarily in the areas of mathematics and science. She also has a strong background in working with children with special needs (primarily children on the spectrum) and children who are gifted. Lee Ann has most recently worked as a math and science curriculum support specialist and academic STEM/STEAM coach for teachers in grades PK-8 in the 4th largest school district, Miami-Dade County Public Schools. There she has had a chance to be an integral part of teams creating innovative ways to imbed STEM/STEAM into standards based curriculum, creation of robotics competitions, designing hands on learning labs within schools, inspiring teachers to find their top potential and creating self sustaining groups of lead teachers. Lee Ann is also a Level 2 certified LEGO Education Academy teacher trainer and coach since 2019 and has worked with varied STEM/STEAM companies in a consultant/trainer capacity since 2008. She excels at inspiring and guiding teachers to feel comfortable at seamlessly imbedding LEGO Education and STEM/STEAM into their curriculum and classrooms.
Lee Ann Jones
Dr. Meize Guo is a post- doctoral research associate at the CS Everyone: Kenneth C. Griffin CS Education for All Initiative. Meize holds a Ph.D. in Instructional Systems Technology with a minor in Science Education from Indiana University Bloomington. Her professional goal is to support both learners and teachers in broadening participation in technology integration, STEM education, and CS education at the K-12 level.
Dr. Meize Guo
Meet the presenters
Dr. Nadine Ebri, an innovative educator with several years of teaching experience in Jacksonville, Florida, has profoundly impacted students around the world. Her journey began in Title I schools, where she dedicated herself to teaching in settings that primarily served students from low-income, historically marginalized communities. Nadine's passion for education extended beyond traditional methods, leading her to author two books and develop unique teaching approaches that gained national recognition. She firmly believed in embracing students' life experiences and advocated for using responsive teaching methods to engage students. This approach not only earned her a spot on the front cover of USA Today but also made her a viral sensation, with her instructional videos amassing over 20 million views and inspiring educators globally. Her exemplary teaching skills made her a finalist for the Teacher of the Year in Duval County during the 2020-2021 school year. Despite the effects of the pandemic, Nadine continued to produce high scores while ensuring her students stayed engaged in learning. Transitioning from a classroom teacher to a technology specialist, Nadine was instrumental in launching the Minecraft Lab in Jacksonville. Here, she fused education and technology, training educators in game-based learning using digital games. Currently serving as an Education Community Manager for a large educational technology company, Nadine continues to inspire through her leadership. She guides educational technology ambassadors in their outreach efforts, fostering a nurturing community environment. Her contributions to educational technology have been recognized with the "20 to Watch" award from ISTE in 2023 and a feature in EdTech Magazine's "30 K-12 IT Influencers to Follow." Nadine's journey exemplifies her commitment to enhancing educational experiences through innovation and inclusivity.
Nadine Ebri
Meet Rasmus Carlsson, our Senior School Partnership Manager at Strawbees. With a passion for innovative education, Rasmus spearheads our efforts to bring Strawbees into classrooms across the globe. With years of experience in STEM education, he's a trusted voice in the field, sharing insights on how Strawbees can transform learning experiences. Rasmus is dedicated to empowering educators and students alike, fostering creativity, collaboration, and hands-on learning. Join us as Rasmus guides us through the exciting world of Strawbees and its impact on education.
Rasmus Carlsson
Meet the presenters
Rebecca Miller is a District Media Specialist and STEM Instructor for the Library Media Service Department of Duval County Public Schools. She began her career as a Language Arts and Social Studies before she made the shift to Instructional Media and STEM Education. Apart from instructing STEM lessons to young people, she enjoys writing blogs
with her superstar dachshund, Davi, and going on great adventures!
Rebecca Miller
Robert Lane is a 25-year veteran teacher who has spent his career teaching students in grades 3 through 12 where he started a robotics program in the school district where he taught. Robert’s passion is STEAM education and specializes in teaching programming. He loves all things LEGO, Minecraft, and Raspberry Pi. These days Robert spends his time running a non-profit called One Byte at a Time and training teachers for LEGO Education as a LEGO Education Academy Certified Trainer.
Robert Lane
Meet the presenters
Hello, my name is Simone Smith and I am the State Manager for Learning Blade. I have been working in education for over 15 years. I've had the privilege of working as an Elementary and Middle school teacher. I really enjoyed the middle school years. During this time, I also was a lead facilitator for the Microtechnology ESOL program at the University of Central Florida. I have taught all subjects, and I have a love for STEM and Career Exploration. After my time in the classroom I worked as District Instructional and Behavior coach, in this role I supported educators with the Conditions for Learning in the classroom. I have now been in Educational Technology for over 3 years supporting educators and their work all over the state of Florida.
Simone Smith
Willie Henderson is a Cybersecurity Outreach Specialist with CYBER.ORG, the academic outreach center in Bossier City, LA. He is a doctoral candidate with Louisiana State University – Shreveport, holds a Master of Education from Texas A&M- Commerce, and received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Millsaps College. He has over 25 years of experience in public education, all at Title I schools, during which time he has served many roles including STEM teacher, Master Teacher, and Campus Administrator. He served on the Cyber.org standards committee helping draft the first national K-12 model standards in cybersecurity. As a Cyber Education Specialist, he is leading the Louisiana based HBCU initiative, Project REACH pilot program, funded by NSA. In addition, he now co- leads the Project REACH expansion to underrepresented and underserved youth in cybersecurity, as well as creating access for those youth to cybersecurity degrees and cyber careers. MSIs funded by CISA. Willie is passionate about engaging
Willie Henderson
Meet the planning team
Dr. Kathleen Schofield is the Executive Director of the Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub. Working as a liaison between the corporate community and the school systems, she brings the pulse of the needs for a 21 century workforce as she collaborates with the school districts and universities in the region. She has successfully executed the 21 Century Northeast Florida Workforce Development program bringing access to experiences with cutting edge technologies, such as robotics, coding, drones, and augmented reality to over 75,000 students by working with district leadership teams to develop and infuse innovative approaches to STEM instruction. Schofield has written and been awarded over $20 million in competitive grants, implementing multiple successful STEM programs yielding strong learning gains for both teachers and students leading to significant student learning gains in mathematics. Schofield is a Lead STEM fellow, participating in deep professional development in STEM policy, funding, and advocacy. As an expert standards and assessment, Schofield is a consultant in lesson study with a focus on shifting instructional practice in math and science classrooms towards a student-centered, STEM-infused, inquiry-based setting by embracing the standards for mathematical practices and uncovering student misconceptions in math/science. Further, she occasionally consults on developing and strengthening of STEM learning ecosystems both within the US and abroad.
Dr. Kathleen Schofield
Celeste Sciandra is the Program Director for the Northeast Florida STEM2 Hub. Celeste has been an educator for 26 years. She is a graduate of Towson State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education. She earned her Master’s Degree in Education, with an emphasis in Math and Science, from Johns Hopkins University. Her career began in Baltimore County, Maryland in 1994. After 10 years in Maryland, she moved to Orange Park, Florida. She has lived in Orange Park for the last 20 years. Celeste is married and has two children in college. She loves to spend time with family and friends. During her career in education she has served as a classroom Science and Math Teacher, a Math Resource Teacher, an Intel Math National Trainer, a Code.org CSF Trainer, Woz Ed Trainer and a Robotics Coach.
Celeste Sciandra
Meet the planning team
Melissa Wright has been an educator for 25 years. She has a Master Degree in Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment with a certification in Educational Leadership. During her educational career she taught third through fifth grade Reading and Language Arts. For the past eight years, Melissa has served as an Elementary School Administrator with the last three years as a Principal of a Title I school in Orange Park, Florida. Melissa lives in Middleburg, Florida with her husband Ricky and their Poodle Rocco. They have one daughter, Miayah who lives in Orlando, Florida. Melissa has a passion for teaching and learning and in her spare time enjoys reading and spending quality time with her family and friends.
Melissa Wright
Jessica has been working behind the scenes with STEM2Hub since the spring. She helps the day-to-day operations run smoothly. She is a firm believer in STEM education for all students. Jessica has a background in the medical field and currently works with preschoolers. She is married with three elementary-aged boys.
Jessica Shelton
Meet the planning team
Michael Helms is honored to serve the students and teachers in Putnam County School Districts. He has three boys and A wonderful wife. He hosted teams from Israel, Kentucky, and Duval, presented at RTM, and was the Educator of the Month for Ozobots.
Michael Helms
Lorena Dominey is the STEM Coach for the Putnam County School District and is an experienced educator committed to providing high-quality STEM education for all students. She specializes in STEM curriculum and provides training to educators in her district and nationwide. A firm believer in preparing our kids for the jobs of the future, Lorena proudly contributes to innovative curriculum development and expanding STEM career awareness throughout the community.
Lorena Dominey
thank you for being here!
#CSinthesunshine
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