2021 - 2022 CSO Overview
Leadership Training Institute
Approximately 80 CSOs attended the Leadership Training Institute, representing 14 school districts, 29 schools, and over 18,000 students. While 46 of the CSOs were new to the program, 34 students were returning students as 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th year CSOs. Many of these returning students took on an even greater leadership role in the Leadership Training Institute, developing and leading session activities, ice breaker activities, and more. Sessions included: CSO Program Overview, Vision & Video, Communication, the STEMazing Race, Action Planning, STEM Professional Rotations, and STEM demonstrations. Mr. Matthew Felan, President and CEO of the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance, provided the keynote address for the event. STEM professionals from Dow, Michigan Department of Transportation, Chippewa Nature Center, and Fisher Contracting also participated in various sessions.
Participating School Districts:
Bangor Township School District, Bay City Public Schools, Bridgeport-Spaulding Community Schools, Carrollton Public Schools, Diocese of Saginaw (Nouvel Catholic Central Elementary and High Schools), Essexville-Hampton Public Schools, Frankenmuth School District, Freeland Community School District, Hemlock Public Schools, Lutheran Schools, Missouri Synod (St. John’s Lutheran School and Valley Lutheran High School), Midland Public Schools, Saginaw City School District, Saginaw Township Community Schools, and Swan Valley School District.
Action Plans
Examples of Action Plans this year included STEM career panels, STEM@Home kits, bulletin boards, blogs, newsletters, elementary outreach programs, virtual mathematics festivals, community flight night, STEM clubs and STEMonstration videos. The CSOs made tremendous impact! 37 Action Plans were completed this year at 23 different schools. These plans impacted an estimated 6,100 students, families, and community members throughout the GLBR and beyond.
The GLBR CSO Leadership Council also collaborated to bring over 40 middle and high school students from the eight-county area to SVSU for a regional Teen Science Café. Half of the attendees explored climate change through a climate modeling simulation developed by faculty and scientists at MIT while the remaining students participated in a nursing lab simulation at SVSU’s Health and Human Service building and toured the neurosciences laboratory.
Cabinet Meetings
The fall cabinet meeting took place in October 2021 at the Michigan Department of Transportation. CSOs and advisors learned about the construction of the Zilwaukee bridge through a presentation and tour of the inside of the bridge. They also interacted with various STEM professionals, including civil engineers, mechanical engineers, soil scientists, environmental scientists, and skilled trades.
The spring cabinet meeting took place in March 2022 at the Global Dow Center in Midland. CSOs and advisors explored sustainability, the plastics dilemma, and DEI concepts. In addition, some of the CSOs were able to tour plants in Michigan Operations and all CSOs had in-depth conversations with a STEM professional from their potential future career field during lunch.
Celebration
At the yearly CSO Celebration, all CSOs are recognized for their accomplishments in their schools and communities. Special recognition is given to the students, advisors, and community partners who went above and beyond to spread STEM awareness and ensure the success of the CSO program in the Great Lakes Bay Region.
2021-22 GLBR Cabinet and Regional Awardees:
Outstanding CSOs: Ana R (Hemlock High School), Emma D (Christa McAuliffe Middle School), and Sahiba K*^ (H.H. Dow High School)
Outstanding CSO Team: Emma D, Alexa S, Kate C, and Leela G (Christa McAuliffe Middle School*)
Outstanding CSO Advisors: Mr. Craig Coopersmith (Carrollton High School) and Mr. Michael Hiddings* (St. John’s Lutheran School)
Outstanding CSO School: Abigail K, Kayden W. Luke P, Rayna L, and Mrs. Connie Kennedy (Bay City Central High School)
Outstanding CSO Community Partner: Jack Barstow Municipal Airport*
Outstanding CSO Action Plans: Hayden R (St. John’s Lutheran School) and Bella R, Carolina M, and Sierra M (Freeland High School)
Legacy CSO Award: Ava N* (H.H. Dow High School)
Cabinet Coordinator of the Year: Adrianne Cole ^ (Saginaw Valley State University)
* denotes Regional Awardee
^ denotes International Awardee
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