Conference room with presenter at podium, seated audience, blue-and-yellow balloon columns

A Huge Success: 7th Annual C-STEM Symposium!

  • by Caroline Chen

Quick Summary

  • On March 12, 2026, over 165 educators gathered at the 7th Annual C-STEM Symposium to explore innovative ways to advance math education through coding, robotics, and collaborative STEAM learning.

On Thursday, March 12, 2026, over 165 educators and administrators gathered for the 7th Annual C-STEM Symposium to advance innovation in math, computer science, and STEAM education. Co-hosted by UC Davis Center for Integrated Computing and STEM Education (C-STEM) and San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD), this year’s theme, "Moving the Needle on Math Education with Coding and Robotics," focused on actionable classroom solutions.

The event opened with a warm welcome from SBCUSD Superintendent Mauricio Arellano, who shared his story of his eighth year of collaboration with UC Davis, followed by exciting C-STEM program updates from Dr. Harry Cheng, Director of the UC Davis C-STEM Center. Keynote speaker Ken Shelton, a distinguished professional and best-selling author in the field of education, delivered an inspiring address on “Computational Thinking and Learner Empowerment: Connecting Learning to Context.”

Attendees engaged in nineteen dynamic breakout sessions, including two live teaching demonstrations, hands-on workshops, and a thrilling Mini RoboPlay Challenge Competition by 6th-grade teams. The day was a vibrant celebration of community and collaboration, aimed at empowering the next generation through integrated Math, CS, and STEAM education.

We are deeply grateful to our breakout session chairs, presenters, and dedicated attendees for their commitment to excellence in student success. A special shout-out to the SBCUSD STEAM and Innovation Division—Randy Clyde, Ed.D., Caitlin Arakawa, and all team members—for their outstanding partnership in co-organizing this event.

Together, we are making a meaningful impact on student progress and achievement in Math, CS, and STEAM education through C-STEM partnerships!

 

A collage of photos from a RoboPlay event, showing students lifting a trophy, competition game boards, presentations, and panel discussions at an SBCUSD STEAM & Innovation venue.
A collage of photos from an SBCUSD STEAM & Innovation conference, showing speakers at a podium, attendees at round tables, and C-STEM exhibit banners, decorated with blue and gold balloons.