STEM Education for Students K-12

 

At Automation Alley’s 2022 INTEGR8 Conference, the hot topic of conversation amongst advanced manufacturers and conference attendees was how to increase student numbers in STEM programs. 

The DisruptED podcast hosts Ron J Stefanski and Dr. Caesar Mickens Jr. attended INTEGR8. Mickens said the conference proved it’s an exciting time in education for STEM but that there is a lot of work to do, especially in boosting minority and economically disadvantaged student engagement in STEM programs. With this thought in mind, Stefanski and Mickens invited Joseph DiBacco onto the program.  

 As Superintendent of the Ansonia Board of Education, DiBacco is someone high on Stefanski and Mickens’ GSD scale (gets stuff done.) With the state of advanced manufacturing needing more skilled people, it’s more critical than ever to find educators who know how to get stuff done, especially in encouraging K-12 students to seek careers in STEM. And DiBacco knows, all too well, the importance of giving minority and economically disadvantaged students opportunities in the STEM field. 

 “I became superintendent in Ansonia, Connecticut,” DiBacco said. “Ansonia, the most popular moniker, is not to say we’re the most economically disadvantaged city in the whole state of Connecticut. I serve a predominantly low-income population. Everyone gets free breakfast and lunch here in the district. However, on the happy side, we had a rich manufacturing history here in Ansonia. And understanding that, the residents here harken back to a time where it was a bustling industry. I look at Ansonia like a 2.0, a true rebirth.” 

 DiBacco’s conversation with Stefanski and Mickens includes: 

  • The need for local businesses and education to collaborate to build a better future 
  • Partnering with edtech companies to offer STEM courses to students 
  • Outcomes of the STEM-driven programs in DiBacco’s education system 
  • How technology is transforming the world of manufacturing into a space of new opportunities 

 “There are thirty-five businesses that are just in the supply chain, locally here, that go to Sikorsky,” DiBacco said. “And when you work with the Vice President of Sikorsky, if I can’t get a job proper for our students at Sikorsky, there’s thirty-five companies around that service them, and many other areas.” 

 Joseph DiBacco, a graduate of Boston College, received his Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, Special Education, and Teaching. DiBacco received his Master of Education from Southern Connecticut State University. DiBacco has been the Ansonia, Connecticut Board of Education Superintendent since July 2019. 

 

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

digital learning ecosystem
Stride at 25: Redefining the Digital Learning Ecosystem for Today’s K–12 Learners
May 28, 2025

As virtual learning matures and school choice accelerates across the U.S.,the 25th anniversary of Stride Inc. offers a moment to reflect on how far the digital learning ecosystem has come and where it’s headed.. Once known as K12 Inc., the company helped pioneer online education at scale. But in a landscape shaped by evolving…

Read More
search
From Search (SEO) to Answers with Generative AI
May 27, 2025

In this episode of The Marketing AI SparkCast, Aby Varma—founder of Spark Novus, which partners with marketing leaders to adopt AI responsibly and strategically—hosts Mike Ensing, Founder and CEO of Revere AI. They explore how LLMs are revolutionizing search, shifting the customer journey, and forcing a new marketing playbook where brand discovery is increasingly…

Read More
Greener future in HVAC
Scale Smarter in HVAC: Balancing Growth with Employee Engagement
May 27, 2025

The HVAC industry is undergoing significant growth, driven by increased suburban migration and a surge in home renovations requiring system upgrades. The U.S. HVAC market is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4% from 2025 to 2030. As businesses scale to meet this demand, balancing expansion with retaining strong…

Read More
educational choice
Educational Choice Isn’t Enough—Implementation Will Make or Break It
May 26, 2025

The U.S. education landscape is undergoing a seismic shift as more states adopt education savings accounts (ESAs), signaling a broader push toward personalized, parent-directed learning and broader educational choice. With over a dozen states now offering universal ESA programs, debates around school choice have reached a new level of urgency. Throughout 2024, enthusiasm for…

Read More