Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Governor Culver Announces $200,000 Grant To Enhance Science And Math Education
Governor addresses jobs surplus and praises economic progress
(Cedar Rapids) Governor Chet Culver today announced that a $200,000 grant from the State of Iowa’s Department of Education to improve student learning in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor.
“It is a great time to live in Iowa,” said Governor Culver. “Our economy is booming, our cities are growing, and our quality of life is second to none. But our growing economy has created new challenges. It is projected that we will have a 150,000 job surplus by the year 2012, mostly in the field of math and science. We must start now to meet this challenge head on, and that is why programs like the STEM initiative are so important. I am honored to present this new funding to the Grant Wood AEA so this program can continue to shape the minds of Iowa’s students.”
Grant to fund local STEM efforts
The $200,000 grant is intended to develop a model for enhancing student learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics that can be expanded statewide. The program will include after school and summer learning opportunities for students.
The announcement came today, following the Governor’s visit to a regular class session of “Engineering is Elementary,” held at the Marion, Iowa office of the Iowa State University Linn County Extension. The classes, which are incorporated as part of summer day camp activities at nine different locations in four school districts and at the ISU Linn County Extension office, give students ages 7-12 an introduction to hands-on STEM activities along with the opportunity for students to meet and learn with professional engineers.
Janet Martin, youth development specialist with ISU Linn County Extension, explained that the Summer STEM Program comes from a growing awareness that many jobs in the 21st century will require employees who have strong backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and math. “If the Summer STEM Program simply opens kids’ attitudes about the importance of solving problems and thinking outside of the box to create solutions, then we’ve met our goal.”
Governor Culver discusses “jobs surplus”
Today, Governor Culver explained the benefits of Iowa’s growing economy, and the challenges it presents. The Governor outlined a three-part strategy to address the job surplus:
“First, we must continue to be aggressive in recruiting companies to locate in our state and bring with them quality jobs. Second, it’s critical to identify specifically where in the state we are facing a shortage of workers. I am confident Elisabeth Buck, who I recently appointed as Iowa’s next Director of Workforce Development, will do a terrific job partnering with other state agencies to lead this effort. And lastly, we must ensure that Iowa’s young people are involved in math and science programs. By doing so, we can ensure that when today’s students graduate from college, they have the knowledge and skills they need to fill the high-paying, quality jobs that will be waiting for them.”
Culver praises commitment from business, agencies
Governor Culver commended the agencies and companies that participate in the Corridor STEM Initiative. “I thank them for their commitment to the ongoing education of young Iowans. All groups must work together to come up with the best overall strategy to meet the workforce challenges we face.”
The area Corridor businesses and organizations currently participating in the Corridor STEM Initiative include: Iowa Business Council, Cedar Rapids & Iowa City Chambers of Commerce, Rockwell Collins, Alliant Energy, Cedar Rapids School District, College Community School District, Iowa City School District, Linn-Mar Community School District, Marion Independent School District, Metropolitan Office of Catholic Education, Mount Vernon School District, Iowa State University Extension, The University of Iowa College of Engineering, Kirkwood Community College, Mount Mercy College, The Workplace Learning Connection, and Grant Wood Area Education Agency.