Expanding the Classroom to the Community

It all started in a grade school classroom. Jalonda Combs, a Minneapolis Public Schools Associate Educator, wanted to inspire kids beyond the classroom. “I saw firsthand the transformative power of creative hands-on exploration in the classroom. However, I realized that to create a broader impact and lasting difference in my community, outreach work was essential,” says Combs. She was given the opportunity to  pursue outreach work, particularly in STEM through Summit Academy OIC’s Northside STEM District. “Kids can learn and utilize skills learned for empowerment to become whatever their hearts desire. STEM career fields offer endless possibilities for them, in innovation and problem-solving,” says Combs.

Combs started Northside STEM’s initiatives by bringing the North Minneapolis  community together. “The support and enthusiasm from the community and corporate volunteers were crucial in getting the initiatives off the ground,” she says. Through grants and donations, she and Northside STEM developed STEM Saturday events hosted at Twin Cities elementary schools and community spaces.

Since starting the program in 2020, Northside STEM and Combs have hosted 36 STEM events with nearly 200 dedicated volunteers from the University for hundreds of kids in the Twin Cities. Recently, the University and OIC of America collaborated with Target Tech Kids to host the Twin Cities STEMFEST event back in May. Nearly 500 kids and families attended the event at Target HQ Northern Campus with more than 50 activity labs in a wide variety of STEM areas, from robotics to rockets. "Events like Twin Cities STEMFEST are a great way to get kids interested early in science and engineering as a future career," says University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering Dean Andrew Alleyne. 

Kids engaging at an activity lab at STEMFEST2024
 

Now, Combs is reaching beyond Minnesota to bring STEM education to more kids across the country as the STEM Director of OIC of America. “We are developing curricula, providing professional development for staff, securing funding, and evaluating program effectiveness,” says Combs. “My goal is to create a sustainable and scalable model for STEM education that can be replicated nationwide.”

OIC of America and Combs continue to promote STEM education and community engagement in the Twin Cities through a collaboration with the University of Minnesota and Katherine Lindsay, IEM’s Administrative Director. “The OIC of America - UMN partnership has been instrumental in expanding our reach and enhancing the quality of our programs,” says Combs. “The partnership has been fruitful due to the University’s strong commitment to community outreach, volunteer support, and access to resources and expertise.”

(left to right) IEM Director John Bischof, Jalonda Combs, and UMN Office for Equity and Diversity VP Mercedes Ramírez Fernández at a STEM Saturday event

The ongoing collaboration between OIC of America and the University is very promising. “The impact of our work on young kids and the community of Minneapolis has been profound. Open communication and shared vision between our organizations have been key to our success,” says Combs. “We plan to scale up our initiatives, explore new areas of collaboration, and continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in STEM education.”