Our Story

GCSC was launched in July 2011 by P&G and StrivePartnership to stimulate and facilitate STEM education and workforce development partnerships. This collaborative approach allows a wide variety of stakeholders to work together to expand the STEM talent pipeline in the three-state Greater Cincinnati region that includes northern Kentucky, southeast Indiana, and southwest Ohio.

Expanded from one demonstration project in 2011-2012 to five demonstration projects led by community partners. Collaboratively we learned how to best support educators with beyond-school STEM experiences that build student skills and spark their interest in further STEM learning and careers.

Based on lessons learned in the demonstration projects, GCSC launched the STEM Bicycle Club in partnership with Woodward Career Technical High School and the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio. GE provided mentors to the club and helped develop the program curriculum.

Launched the GCSC Advisory Board to involve more stakeholders in guiding and supporting GCSC’s work.

GCSC began using 3D printing technology to engage students and spark their interest in STEM. To celebrate student learning, a STEM engagement best practice, the University of Cincinnati hosted its first-ever annual STEM Bicycle Club Celebration.

GCSC became one of 27 communities selected by the national STEM Funders Network to join the first cohort of the STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice. The CoP has since expanded to more than 80 communities across the country and world.

Combined 3D printing curriculum with lessons learned from the STEM Bicycle Club to launch the 3d Printers Club at 13 schools. Began for-girls programming and messaging to address the lack of gender diversity in the STEM workforce. Launched Summer of STEM to combat summer learning loss and provided mini-grants to community partners to run summer STEM programs.

 The University of Cincinnati became GCSC’s fiscal agent, providing in-kind support and significantly expanding GCSC’s operational capacity and capabilities.

Ramped up girls programming by partnering with P&G to bring the international greenlight for girls organization to Cincinnati for a day of hands-on STEM learning and inspiration. University of Cincinnati hosted the first-ever 3d Printers Showcase to celebrate student learning and accomplishments.

Began granting “Camps in a Box”, which are bundles of resources developed by local K-12 educators, to make it easier for more partners to host and lead high-quality summer STEM programs. Hosted the region’s first End of Summer / Back to School STEM Festival to engage more families in their children’s STEM learning.

 GCSC joined a second national STEM community of practice, the Makers + Mentors Network which focuses on mentoring and maker-centered learning to help build a diverse and equitable STEM workforce. The network also granted GCSC an AmeriCorps VISTA who significantly improved GCSC’s communications.

Began several new programs through collaborations with local and national partners. For students, the West Point Mobile STEM Workshop. For teachers, the Ohio STEM / STEAM Professional Learning Community and Tata Consultancy Services / Discovery Education’s Ignite My Future in School TECHademy.

GCSC also launched several small learning experiments: Game∅n!, to make math learning more fun, and STEM Gardeners as a program with flexibility to run during the school day, as an after-school club, or as a summer camp.

In an effort to stimulate even more cross-organization STEM collaborations, and with leadership from GCSC’s Advisory Board, re-instated twice annual community meetings.

The program year started out as normal with plans to run 3d Printers Clubs, STEM Bicycle Club, expand the STEM Gardeners Program and build upon partnerships developed the previous yea r.

COVID-19 forced GCSC to cancel in person culminating events and refocus priorities. GCSC shifted to supporting parents with at home STEM activities by publishing the Family STEM Cards on social media and educators with the creation in collaboration with partners of the Summer Family STEM Kits.