At EiE, we believe that one of the most powerful ways you can help kids envision themselves as engineers is to present them with role models that they can identify with. According to the National Science Foundation, in 2015, Hispanic engineers made up just 7% of the engineering workforce. Introducing young learners to diverse STEM leaders before stereotypes about “who can be an engineer” take hold can help level the playing field and inspire them to discover their inner engineer. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re spotlighting three Hispanic engineers who broke barriers and used their knowledge of math and science to solve problems and change our world.

Back to school time is upon us! Whether you're brand new to STEM or a seasoned engineering educator, it's the perfect time to reflect on your goals for the upcoming year and think about how to help a new group of learners discover their STEM identity. We've compiled a few resources that will help you with everything from syllabus planning to storage and organization, so you can start the year off right.

Don’t let funding concerns get in the way of implementing a high quality STEM program in your school district. Learn how Title IV-A grants can help you give students access to engineering and a well-rounded education. The Every Student Succeeds Act offers opportunities to integrate STEM into elementary classrooms through Title IV grants known as the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants. For FY 18, did you know that Title IV got a huge funding boost—from $400 million in 2017-2018 to $1.1 billion? This is a tremendous step forward for elementary STEM education. Now you have even more funds and flexibility to implement STEM programs in your school or district.

How much do you know about engineering? Could you spot common misconceptions and identify unlikely engineers? 

One of the most pervasive misconceptions is that engineering is too complicated for young children to find engaging. But did you know that 65% of surveyed scientists and graduate students reported that their interest in STEM began before middle school? It’s time to break stereotypes. Challenge those misconceptions. 

 Take our “Engineering IQ” quiz and find out your engineering IQ! Good luck. Have fun and share our quiz with your peers!

One of EiE’s design principles is to set all of our units in a real-world context to give students an idea of what engineers really do. Because of this, we’re constantly finding connections to our units in the news and in viral videos. But nothing makes us happier than hearing about EiE educators who make local and global connections in their own classrooms! We’re always blown away by the creative ways that educators inspire their students, and today we wanted to share some of their stories with you.