STEAM/Maker Alliance

NEWTON'S ROAD

Driving STEM learning. Sparking AHA moments. Creating pathways to success.

Serving Northwest Michigan since 2010
 

STEM Map Interact with our custom Google map that showcases STEM support, organizations, and STEM Kit locations in our community. More...
STEM Finder Use our searchable online STEM Hub to find quality experiences and learning opportunities for ages preschool through 12th grade. More...
Events Calendar Looking for something fun to do?! Check out the calendar for local STEM-related events and subscribe to be the first to know! More...
Career Investigator Test drive this interactive platform for youth wishing to explore regional STEM-related careers and the "hot jobs" they create. More...
  • 18 Aug
    • Norte Balance Bike Meetups 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM
      Norte Balance Bike Meetups
      Date: Aug 18
      Time: 10:30 to 1 P
      Location: Elk Rapids Chain Hub
      Calendar: In Person Events & Programs

      Bikes, Books, Bubbles! 

  • 21 Aug
    • Young Women in STEM
      Date: Aug 21 - Aug 23
      Location: 100 Dame St #218, Suttons Bay, MI 49682
      Cost: $300
      Calendar: In Person Events & Programs

      Are you a high school girl interested in science and learning about the Great Lakes? Have you ever wondered what it’s like to sleep on a ship or work on a schooner? Are you interested in meeting other high school girls that are just as interested in science, technology, engineering or math and adventurous as you are? If so, the Inland Seas Young Women in STEM program is a great fit for you!

      This three-day, overnight research-based program will allow you to eat, sleep, and work aboard the schooner Inland Seas while exploring the functioning and health of the Great Lakes. During the voyage, you will study and analyze fish, plankton, water and lake sediment and develop a research project on invasive species or other topics of interest. You’ll also help the crew with vessel operation including hoisting and handling sails, plotting and steering a course, and assisting with meals in the galley.

      For more information click here. 

  • 22 Aug
    • MTU STEAM Program-Create a Glow Cloud
      Date: Aug 22 - Aug 24
      Location: 880 Parsons Road, Traverse City, MI 49686
      Calendar: In Person Events & Programs

      Free class at the Career Tech Center for kids grades 6th through 10th. Learn how to write code and program LEDs to create your very own glowing cloud light show! Check it out!

  • 25 Aug
    • CEDAR POLKA FEST
      Date: Aug 25 - Aug 28
      Location: 3075 E Sullivan St. Cedar, MI 49621
      Calendar: In Person Events & Programs

      The Cedar Polka Fest is an annual festival celebrating the town’s rich Polish history. Lasting 4 days and nights, nearly 10,000 people descend into town for family fun.  Join us to eat, drink, and dance the nights away.

More Events

Newton's News & More

O’Hara Joins Newton’s Road as Executive Director

MORE

STEM and Reading

MORE

Invasive Species Detectives

MORE

Northern Michigan Startup Week Inspires Young Entrepreneurs and Startup Veterans Alike

MORE

What the Community is Saying

- Abigail P, Tech Girls Member The Career Investigator is a fantastic tool that I can't wait to share with my friends and my club! It's very exciting to be able to explore this many opportunities so close to me!
- TADL's Main Library Patron The highlight of our week. We love coming in, selecting something new, and trying it out at home.
Barb P, Benzie Schools Counselor The Career Investigator wheel was a big hit with our Benzie 9th graders! Very good information, easy to access and understand.
Benzonia Public Library After days of students taking the M-STEP, Mrs. Mclellan, Crystal Lake Elementary's 5th/6th-grade teacher, decided the students deserved a much-needed break. Students were able to have fun while learning with the 7 STEM kits checked out from Benzonia Public Library!
Betsie Valley District Library Mr. Asa Kelley, a 2nd-grade teacher from Betsie Valley Elementary school, checked out 7 STEM kits for his class. He set up centers with the kits so that the children could rotate and explore each kit.
Camille H, parent “We have been taking our daughter to the library and checking out the AWESOME Newton’s Rd STEM Kits. We have so much fun with them (me and my husband mostly as she’s only 3.5) but kept meaning to say to you - such an awesome job with that!”
Chantel L, East Bay Branch Library STEM kits add a whole new dimension to the library experience. While we love seeing families come in to read and choose books together, the kits engage our patrons in new and often unexpected ways. It's a pleasure to see parents, grandparents, and kids absorbed in working together to play and learn with our STEM kits.
Charity M, parent and winner of STEM Giveaway "John received a Polaroid Cube camera, and he has enjoyed it. He got some accessories to mount it on his bike to use underwater. He had much fun messing around with it."
Christian B, United Way Americore Vista volunteer Newton's Road has been a treated partner in helping us determine which information is relevant to 'career explorers' for our site.
Coral C., 5th Grader "From the moment I heard about [the STEM Kits] I wanted to go check one out for me and my brother. They looked hard but once you start working on them your brain started working and you could really finish them and they were fun."
Dawn H, Patron at East Bay Branch Library The STEM kits have provided a variety that we were missing during distance learning.
Evelyn P., Central High School TechGirl "As a high school senior interested in the medical field, the career investigator was incredibly helpful. I discovered careers that I didn't even know existed, and was able to find ones that are flourishing in Northern Michigan specifically!"
Heidi Skodack, TCAPS Director of School Improvement - STEM & CTE, NR Board Member “In the past year and half, Newton’s Road has made so much progress with reach and visibility in our community.”
Jake with Leland Township Library The STEM kits are going great. They are very popular and barely even have one left on the shelf at times.
Janine W, educator at GTACS I have used the Career Investigator to prepare lessons for my Kindergarten-5th grade science students. The layout allows me to quickly locate careers that relate to what we are studying, such as "Hydrologist" and "Physical Therapist," which both related to our study of lakes and oceans (water therapy to rebuild injured muscle).
Janine W, parent and educator at GTACS "What a wealth of information all in one spot! Great idea, creating a useful, detailed listing of the careers associated with our area."
Jason S, director of technical area at NMC The Career Investigator website built by Newton's Road has already become a critical component of our career advising
Jason S, director of technical area at NMC It has already become one of my "go-to" resources to highlight the exciting high-wage, high-skill STEM careers in the region
Joanna, Parent "My daughters talked about the fun educational [STEM] kits all year long, especially my 10 year old, who dreams of becoming an interior designer someday and found a kit that honed those skills.""
Jody L, Impact 100 grant Great looking website and professional newsletter.
Joelle H, Parent "My 4-year old son was excited he got the STEM kit 'gearbot' from our local public library; he couldn't stop talking about it on the drive home! Building the bot in different ways; he's getting so much practice counting, adding, subtracting, and even dividing as he finds the correct number of gears and other parts for the build. Also, building his self-confidence, as he has built some of these on his own."
Krista Goldman, Director of Mentoring, Big Brothers Big Sisters “I am blown away by Newton Road's Career Investigative Platform. It is a fabulous, thorough, engaging tool that I am so excited to share with our Bigs and Littles. Thank you for including us in its use. We will link to the site via our web page dedicated to Bigs, as well as utilize it on a regular basis in our match support and resources communications.”
Maryellen P, Glen Lake Community Library Program Coordinator It was awesome to see the enthusiasm during our event; even grandparents gave some of them a try! No problems in sharing or moving on to the next table as kids were eager to discover almost every exhibit table. Our program was very successful.
Matthew A, East Bay Branch Library Our circulation improved; once the STEM kits opened to the public
Nannette M, ERDL Director With how technology changes daily, kids need to develop STEM skills and learn how to think critically and problem-solve. These kits are fun; they’re fantastic; they engage kids and teach valuable skills without even realizing they’re learning.
parent of a TCAPS student "Our daughter loved listening to Mary Lagina reading a story as well as completing the STEM project."
Rob S, Chair of the Grand Traverse Manufacturing Council The career investigator tool is a valuable resource that links local career opportunities and information to the skills required and the programs to build them.
Rose Zivkovich, Homeschool Parent "Newton's Road is an incredible resource for our community here in Northern Michigan! They have led and supported many quality STEM events; they are a key partner in developing connections between students in our region and STEM related businesses and resources; they have developed a robust website that brings together families, businesses, and organizations with shared interests; and they have taken the lead on connecting local STEM/Maker organizations to really capitalize on collaborative brainstorming and cooperation. Thank you Newton's Road for all of your hard work building up our community!"
Rotary Charities of Traverse City We couldn't be more excited to announce the recipients of our Spring Grants. Each of these 10 in Northern Michigan Nonprofits have an incredible passion for their mission, and we're proud to support their initiatives to build more resilient, thriving communities.
Sarah F, parent "It's a good way to kind of bring Science into the house and make it interesting."
Suttons Bay Bingham District Library One mom stopped to tell me at storytime how much fun her family had assembling the little red roadster kit we have. She said they had to replace the batteries because they used it non-stop for a week
Vicki S, Peninsula Library This young patron stopped by Grandma, hoping Artie the Robot was on the shelf. It was! She and her brother had checked it out before and loved it! Grandma says the STEM kits are fun for visits with her favorite young people!