Students meet with lieutenant governor as part of cirriculum
In celebration of STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – students from Elkhorn area schools had the opportunity to meet with Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and Department of Workforce Development leaders April 22 in Madison to share some of the things they’ve been working on in their Project Lead the Way curriculum.
“STEM continues to grow stronger in Wisconsin and we need to celebrate the impact that it can have on our students and our economy,” Kleefisch said in a press release.
Project Lead the Way partners with middle and high schools to prepare students to become the most innovative and productive in the increasingly high-tech and high-skill global economy, according to the release.
“Project Lead the Way creates a stable foundation to further my career choices in becoming a quality engineer,” Elkhorn Area High School senior Kathryn Lieffrig said.
Justice Bachtell, also a senior at Elkhorn High School, said, “I encourage other students and parents around Wisconsin to take part in Project Lead the Way as it sets students up with life skills and problem solving.”
Gov. Scott Walker proclaimed the week of March 8-14, 2015, as the Celebration of STEM Education Week in Wisconsin to highlight the importance of STEM education in advancing the economy. He also proclaimed February as Career & Technical Education Month in Wisconsin.
“Through investments by Governor Walker and the Legislature, the Department of Workforce Development has reinforced the value of STEM education for the next generation of workers,” Department of Workforce Development Secretary Reggie Newson said in a press release.
“Programs such as Youth Apprenticeship and Wisconsin Fast Forward have demonstrated how students pursuing a pathway in science, technology and engineering can develop the life-long skills needed to meet the demands employers need.”
According to the release, Project Lead The Way is a nonprofit organization and the nation’s leading provider of K-12 STEM programs. PLTW’s world-class, activity, project, and problem-based curriculum and high-quality teacher professional development model, combined with an engaged network of educators and corporate partners, help students develop skills needed to succeed in our global economy.
The release said more than 6,500 elementary, middle, and high schools in the nation offer PLTW courses to their students.
