Code Ninjas (161 Linden Street in Wellesley) will host a Grand Opening on January 5, 10AM-2PM, with games, prizes, and tours of its center where kids can learn coding by building video games. RSVP here. For more information, contact Annie Duong at 781-591-2413 or annie.duong@codeninjas.com.

STEM Inspiration Organization (S.I.O.) will host a free STEM workshop for high-school students — The Complex Task of Reading Scientific Papers — on January 12, 3PM-5:30PM, in Waltham. In this workshop focusing on biology and neuroscience, a researcher will teach students skills usually taught in college for analyzing professional journal articles. To register, go here, then click on “Sign Up,” then click on “3:00PM,” then click on “Next,” fill out the form, then click “Book It.”

S.I.O. is composed of high school students from many towns in Metrowest Boston. As a non-profit organization, S.I.O. aims to engage community members in STEM topics to further their understanding and to inspire students to consider careers in STEM fields. For more information, email contact@steminspiration.org.

Esri invites students in Grades 4-8 and Grades 9-12 to question, explore, and analyze data for a situation in Massachusettts and then share their results in a Story Map to be submitted to the Massachusetts ArcGIS Map Contest. Schools or youth organizations can register for an ArcGIS bundle that includes an account needed for submitting student entries. Register by April 29 and submit up to 5 maps per school by May 3. The top 5 maps from the Massachusetts competition will move on to the national competition. Email Ann Witzig at aswitzig@gmail.com for more information.

Unruly Splats! are programmable floor tiles for kids to start playing games pre-loaded onto a tablet (not included) and progress into coding their own active games. They were created by a Boston-based start-up and are now available with free shipping and a 10% discount when you use the code Email10. The Unruly team says, “We are not interested in putting another boring and fragile science kit out on the market or in providing kids with a frivolous toy.”

The “e” inc. Science Emporium is open for holiday shopping for STEM games, books, kits, etc. on Thursdays (5-8PM) and Fridays (10AM-5PM) at 116  16th Street in the Navy Yard in Boston.

Empow Studios seeks a Program Director and a Saturday STEM Junior Instructor in its Newton location, as well as other positions in Lexington.

You can donate to the Newton Schools Foundation Annual Appeal to support these STEM initiatives in the Newton Public Schools:

The Calculus Project aims to narrow the achievement gap in mathematics and increase the number of African American, Hispanic, and low-income students who complete calculus in high school. Rising seventh and eighth graders participate in small-group intensive summer instruction in mathematics and related workshops to gain academic skills and confidence, followed by after-school tutoring during the school year.

The DaVinci Program Newton South HS is a project-based collaborative approach to learning science, technology, engineering, arts and math.  Students build skills in experimentation, analytical problem solving, collaboration, presentation, communication, and artistic representation through authentic and student-driven learning.

Nominations are open until January 21 for the Massachusetts STEM Teacher of the Year. All teachers nominated will be invited to submit an application. The winning teacher’s school will receive a $5,000 grant for STEM in that school or district, and the winning teacher will be honored at the Massachusetts STEM Summit next November.

Last week, at an event to showcase the NNHS Science Department and its plans to acquire new equipment (miniPCR–the DNA Discovery System) for biology and upper-year electives, the Newton North HS PTSO announced at $15,000 match for donations toward this goal. For more information, email nnhsedex@northptso.org.

The MIT Museum (265 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge) will host its next Teen Science Cafe for Grades 9-12 on December 15, 6-8:30PM, focused on the future of Artificial Intelligence and its impact.  Admission is free and dinner will be provided.  Seating is limited and registration is required.  Doors will open at 5:45PM and no one will be admitted after 7PM. The event will include short talks and conversations with scientists, as well as time to explore the Museum galleries.