STEM City Newsletter

November 2025 Edition

Welcome to the Flagstaff STEM City Newsletter

We’re excited to bring you the latest highlights, updates, and opportunities from across our vibrant STEM community. Each month, you’ll receive a newsletter that celebrates local innovation, showcases upcoming events, and connects Flagstaff to the broader national STEM landscape.

From hands-on activities and inspiring student projects to professional development and community partnerships, our goal is to keep you informed and engaged in the many ways STEM continues to shape our schools, city, and future.

Thank you for being part of our mission to make Flagstaff a hub for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Together, we’re building curiosity, creativity, and opportunity for learners of all ages.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

This Native American Heritage Month, we celebrate the deep roots of science, technology, engineering, and math in Indigenous knowledge and the innovators who continue that legacy today.

Aaron Yazzie

NASA engineer Aaron Yazzie designs and builds hardware for Mars rovers at Jet Propulsion Laboratory exploring other worlds while staying grounded in the lessons of his homeland.

“I think I am most proud of the outreach work I have been able to do, especially to Indigenous communities,” said Yazzie, “I want to help Indigenous students understand that they can exist and thrive at places like NASA.”

“I love seeing the spark in young kids’ eyes when they see somebody that looks like them working on big missions like the Curiosity Rover or the Perseverance Rover.”

Learn more about Aaron Yazzie at https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/bridging-indigenous-heritage-and-space-exploration/ and https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/mechanical-engineer-aaron-yazzie/.

Dr. Michael Kotutwa Johnson

For generations, the Hopi people have cultivated one of the most resilient agricultural systems in the world – dry-farming without irrigation in some of the most arid regions of the Southwest.

Dr. Michael Kotutwa Johnson continues that legacy as both a farmer and scientist, blending ancestral knowledge with modern climate research. His work reminds us that the future of sustainability lies not just in new technology, but in ancient intelligence— the deep relationship between people and place.

Through every seed planted and every story shared, Dr. Kotutwa Johnson shows how Indigenous science offers lessons for resilience, stewardship, and hope in a changing world.

Learn more about Dr. Michael Kotutwa Johnson at https://www.arizonahighways.com/article/michael-kotutwa-johnson.

Lego SPIKE Prime Robotics Kits to Borrow

STEM City has purchased a small library of Lego SPIKE Prime Robotics Kits available for extended loan to schools and youth-serving programs.

Lego SPIKE Prime Kits are easy to use, versatile to many different programs and curricula, have a plethora of support resources, and were researched and developed to ensure all children are able to interact with them. This is a great opportunity for those who are looking to:

Get started with robotics or coding for the first time
Make your coding lessons more hands on
Want a fun STEM activity for a parent night
Get robots to start a robotics team! Both FIRST and ROADS use Lego SPIKE Prime robots
Supplement your already running robotics team or program

We are loaning these out semester by semester and are looking for anyone who would like to use one or more (depending on availability) for the second semester of 2025-26. If you are interested in borrowing a kit or kits, please fill out this application agreement.

Form

2025 STEMMY Award Winner Highlight

Community Partner of the Year

Sparking Curiosity in Quantum Science (SparCQS)

The Sparking Curiosity in Quantum Science (SparCQS) initiative has quickly become a regional and national leader in introducing students, families and communities to the exciting world of quantum science.

Through engaging, age-appropriate hands-on activities, SparCQS makes even the most challenging concepts accessible and fun. In just two years, the program has reached nearly 40,000 people—most within Arizona and the greater Southwest—visiting schools across Flagstaff and neighboring reservations, as well as organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club and Navajo Girl Scouts Camp, and appearing at major community events.

SparCQS brings quantum learning directly to the communities that need it most, frequently working with Title I, tribal and rural schools. Their mobile, self-sufficient engagement model allows them to set up anywhere, even providing their own power when needed. As a result, students not only gain a deeper understanding of science but also develop confidence and curiosity as engaged learners and community members.

Community Share

Connecting Classrooms and Communities

At Thomas Elementary, art teacher Elii Chapman is transforming learning through Community Share, the platform that connects educators with local professionals and community partners.

Working with graduate students from Northern Arizona University’s Sociology Department, Chapman’s students created art from discarded fabrics, exploring issues like waste, sustainability, and creativity. “When the graduate students came to study what they were doing, it made the kids feel like their thinking mattered,” she said. “That’s huge!”

To further expand the project’s reach, Chapman and several of her students participated in a STEM Night at Killip Elementary, sharing their artwork and ideas with families, students from other schools, and community members. The event strengthened the community component of her project and inspired new conversations about creative sustainability and collaboration.

Chapman believes these partnerships show students what community impact looks like. “CommunityShare is linking people who are making the world a better place so that students can see the power of it,” she explained. “It allows teachers to connect with people in other endeavors—not just in Flagstaff, but across the country.”

She’s already planning her next project—focused on uranium mining and its environmental impacts—continuing to prove that curiosity and collaboration can change the way students see the world. “The best partners are the ones who want to change the world right alongside you,” she said.

Her advice to other educators is simple: “Find a project that excites you—and let curiosity lead the way.” Through Community Share, Chapman is proving that when teachers, students, and community members collaborate, learning becomes something more than academic—it becomes transformational.

Read more about Community Share at https://www.flagstaffstemcity.com/communityshare.

Create your community member profile today at communityshare.org/flagstaff.

STEM City’s Newest Board Member: Joel Feldberg

STEM City Flagstaff is thrilled to welcome Joel Feldberg, Marketing Manager at Kinney Construction Services, to the Board of Directors. With more than three years of experience living and working in Flagstaff, Joel brings a unique blend of technical communication and creative strategy to the team.

At Kinney Construction Services, Joel leads marketing and business development efforts across all divisions, translating complex engineering and construction information into clear, compelling narratives that connect project teams with client goals. His career has spanned pursuits such as Mountain Line’s Kaspar Maintenance Facility Renovation, NAU’s Bury Hall Renovation, and the Coconino County Youth Behavioral Health Center.

Joel holds a degree in English with an emphasis in Technical Communication and Information Design from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. His passion lies in bridging the gap between technical expertise and storytelling—showing that STEM thrives not only through science and engineering but also through communication, creativity, and collaboration.

Having represented Kinney at the annual STEM Celebration and through classroom outreach programs, Joel believes in expanding how students envision STEM pathways. “STEM needs communicators, planners, and creative thinkers alongside scientists and engineers,” he says. Joel looks forward to helping STEM City inspire all students to see themselves in the world of STEM and to strengthen the Flagstaff community through innovation and education.

2026 STEMMY Awards – Save the Date

We’re thrilled to share that the 2026 STEMMY Awards will take place at Lowell Observatory — an inspiring new venue that perfectly celebrates discovery, innovation, and exploration! Guests will have the opportunity to experience the new space and even enjoy a stargazing experience following the event.

Save the Date: March 19, 2025
Event Time: 6:00–7:30 p.m.
Hors d’oeuvres: 5:45–6:00 p.m.

Stay tuned for nomination forms for Business of the Year, Community Partner of the Year, Teacher of the Year, and Student of the Year. We can’t wait to celebrate the incredible individuals and organizations shaping the future of STEM in Flagstaff!