Of the many terms bandied about these days, STEM is one that causes me angst and dread. The acronym, as you probably know, stands for science, technology, engineering and math. Um, hold that thought. Artificial intelligence, A.I., gives me heartburn, mostly because I’m still not entirely sure how A.I. works or how it impacts my life. Forget A.I. — for now.

When I hear “STEM,” it suggests mind-bending (or brain-crushing) things like physics, engineering, Calculus of any variety (yikes) or computer science — none of which flourish in my head. In some sense, yes, STEM has those components, but hark! STEM is so much more than crazy hard math and computer screens, and Idaho is blazing a trail in that regard.

STEM is also very much STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) or SHTEM (science, humanities, technology, engineering and math) — or all of the above. And more.

Last month I had the opportunity to participate in one of the i-STEM (Idaho STEM) educator professional development workshops at Idaho State University, specifically in the Eames Building, which is part of the College of Technology. What I learned over the four days we were together is that STEM (STEAM, SHTEM) is a mindset, a way of seeing the world and the world of work, and preparation for a job environment that is constantly evolving and developing.

The i-STEM workshops are offered at six different locations throughout the state during the summer to give our pre-K through 12 teachers and educators the chance to dive into new topics, meet like-minded education professionals and strengthen a classroom or school mission in need of a boost.

The 50 or 60 education professionals who gathered in Pocatello in June came from School District 25, Aberdeen, Inkom, Fort Hall, American Falls and every place in between. They had just finished their school year when they dove right back into learning mode.

ISU’s site offered a variety of workshops for every level of Pre-K to 12 student and educator, such as Machine Learning, Inventing and STEM, Beyond This World with STREAM. All of them were selected by, coordinated with and evaluated by the Idaho STEM Action Center staff in Boise. The STEM Action Center is taking a proactive approach to preparing all of Idaho’s students for the future (Pre-K through college) and meeting the needs of Idaho’s economy and employers. It is challenging and frustrating to offer good, stable, growth-oriented jobs but not have the qualified candidates to fill them. Consider these mission and vision statements, directly from the Idaho STEM Action Center’s website:

Mission Statement: Advancing innovative opportunities for educators, students, communities and industry to build a competitive Idaho workforce and economy through STEM and computer science education.

Vision Statement: A diverse STEM-literate Idaho workforce to support the long-term economic prosperity of Idaho.

The STEM Action Center, and state efforts such as Advanced Opportunities and Idaho Launch, are endeavoring to meet mutual needs: put students on a track of interest to him or her (while also giving that student all the skills needed to adapt and evolve) and help industry / employers find strong and experienced candidates to fill open positions.

Director of the Idaho STEM Action Center, Caty Solace, is firm in her belief that STEM education is much broader and deeper than science, technology, engineering and math. “Many students in school today will work in jobs that don’t even exist yet,” Solace said. “Regardless, they will need to be creative thinkers, possess strong written and interpersonal communication skills, understand the value of collaboration and be effective problem solvers. These foundational principles will help Idaho students develop STEM skill sets that are invaluable in whatever careers they choose to pursue.”

Participants in the June workshops also had the benefit of guest speakers at the start of each day and enjoyed working lunches with speakers who were informative and inspiring. We heard from school director Todd Beard doing great work in Flint, Michigan; 2015 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail Erin Montgomery (who guided teachers all over the U.S. to use a STEM mindset during the annual Iditarod sled dog race); and labor economist Matt Paskash from the Idaho Department of Labor about employment trends and the fastest-growing jobs in Idaho. According to World Population Review, Idaho’s population grew by an incredible 22.52 percent from 2010 to 2023, and its need for skilled workers has similarly grown. Solace from the STEM Action Center knows that STEM jobs are interesting and rewarding and include careers in healthcare, engineering, software development, finance, agriculture and construction. She said STEM jobs in Idaho are projected to grow 15.4 percent by 2030, outpacing the national average of STEM job growth at 10 percent, and that 90 percent of jobs will require digital literacy within a decade.

STEM educators in Idaho classrooms encourage students to be curious, to be collaborative and life-long learners. Students in these classrooms and learning opportunities are encouraged to understand their strengths and interests (which could be literature or business or theater or music) and pursue those with a mind toward how those interests and skills can complement a business or organization. Options abound and entrepreneurs will find Idaho an incubator for talent and creative ideas. Some folks feel constrained when they hear “STEM,” but STEM is not narrow. At all. It is broad and creative and welcomes a wide variety of thinkers and abilities.

One of the workshop providers in Pocatello came all the way from Vermont to assist and participate. Sandy Thompson May is a bench scientist working at the University of Vermont’s School of Medicine and she was very favorably impressed by what Idaho is doing for its students and communities. She told me, “College bound students want to come to Vermont to be educated. It is beautiful like Idaho, it is safe and has lots of opportunities to recreate (skiing, hiking, biking, running, etc.), but they struggle to find jobs in Vermont once they complete their degrees. Our state government recognizes this pitfall, but has yet to figure out how to retain this population post graduation. Idaho is very forward thinking on this point and seems to have made great strides in both training and retaining their young adults who are educated or skilled or both. Kudos and you will reap the benefits for generations to come. Having spent just four days with educators who live within the broader community of Pocatello, I was impressed by these educators’ interest and knowledge of what a STEM education mindset looks like in the classroom. In my humble opinion, the Idaho education system is doing an exemplary job implementing a STEM mindset and many states could learn from Idaho’s model and Idaho’s implementation of this model starting at the elementary level. Families can rest assured that their children are being set up, from the get-go, for success as they gain valuable life skills disguised as STEM skills.” High praise indeed.

All of which is to say that STEM — or STEAM or SHTEM — represents a world of possibilities for Idaho and its residents. Think opportunity, not angst. I’ll take up A.I. on another day.

To learn more about the Idaho STEM Action Center and the work they do in support of Idaho’s schools, economy and workers, go to www.stem.idaho.gov and click around on its robust and inspiring website.