LIBERTY STEM ALLIANCE
Major Projects
caregivers and families to include kids in the kitchen on a daily basis and unfold simple concepts of STEM through daily interactions. The work- shop involved multiple hands-on ac- tivities for parents to experience and tips for identifying STEM concepts in their day to day conversations in the kitchen, grocery stores, gardens and over the dining table. This workshop allowed parents to think about their families’ food philosophies and how to implement them seamlessly in their daily routine. There were multi- ple explicit STEM activities that fami- lies got to experience. In the Science Station portion of the workshop, par- ents learned about osmosis through a demonstration using a potato, and parts of whole grains. In the Technol- ogy and Engineering portion, par- ents learned how simple machines in the kitchen resembled STEM objects and concepts, such as a knife being a wedge and pizza cutter being a wheel & axle and how every recipe is an algorithm and coding exercise. In the Math Station portion, parents learned about simple ways to discuss math concepts such as counting, se- quencing, and sorting through kitch- en activities. The program ended with all the kids making colored rice baggies and participating in other food related activities. Every family left with an apron, a kid-friendly knife and a packet with kitchen-related STEM activities.
The Liberty STEM Alliance is a renowned community dedicated to enriching STEM opportunities in Hudson County by incorporating all voices, creating pathways, and serv- ing as an information hub.
•County Hack-a-Thon to ad- vance Computer Science •Workforce development events, with Latinas in STEM •Professional Development for educators
Most recently, ecosystem co-lead Dr. Vanashri Nargund-Joshi started The Parent Academy, a research-in-prac- tice platform focused on increas- ing parents’ scientific knowledge of teaching & learning processes and overall child development. The Parent Academy offered a series of workshops for families at the Gre- enway Family Access Center for all children of ages 2-8 (including chil- dren with all abilities). One particular workshop, “STEM in the Kitchen”, focused on empowering parents,
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