BN STEM

McLean County and key stakeholders are engaged with a defined portfolio of STEM initiatives that establish the county as a premier location for education and experiences in STEM, while creating a talent pipeline for new and existing local businesses. With the popularity of STEM education at an all time high, it’s easy to see why counties and schools nationwide are trying to explore new ways of com

municating its relevancy. McLean County is putting an economic spin on why STEM education should be pushed. STEM education does have a direct correlation with business. There are plenty of products that are in the STEM market or products that are being developed using STEM skills. In the Bloomington-Normal area, there is a high demand for a STEM-educated workforce and a high commitment to invest in and retain talent at a local level. With this initiative, the county is trying to help push STEM education by getting local business professionals to connect with students, leading to a better understanding of why STEM education is so essential. Our community partners are continuously working with schools in McLean County to implement curriculum, activities and events to develop and grow STEM education. For example, in 2016, the EDC - working in partnership with local business and education communities - were able to get McLean County retrofitted with the latest STEM education curriculum provided by Defined Learning.