Classes involving science, technology, engineering and math often evoke long and complicated problems with dizzying formulas.
Hardly the stuff for little children, right? Maybe not.
“We need to capture their imagination very, very early,” said Suzanne Jenniches, vice president of the government systems division at Northrop Grumman Corp.
“I believe the STEM foundation begins long before middle school.”
Jenniches has been a strong supporter of engineering and education during her 34-year career with Northrop Grumman and is apast president of the national Society of Women Engineers.
Educators, business leaders, and science, technology, engineering and math experts agree students need early exposure to these career paths.
“We must … talk about the fun and interesting things that science, technology, engineering and math will allow them to do ? even as children, but certainly as they grow older,” said Army Col. Kenneth McCreedy, Fort Meade?s commander.
Superintendent Sydney Cousin, who visited South Korea this past year, said students there attend classes six days per week and have longer days than students in the United States,
“If we?re going to be more successful in promoting STEM initiatives, we can?t wait until kids get to high school,” he said.
The school system has begun capitalizing on this theme by creating 21 extended-day and weekend STEM programs in elementary, middle and high schools with the help of $160,000 in STEM grants, said Robert Glascock, assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and technology in Howard.
Schools in Howard have many STEM opportunities for students, including Project Lead the Way, a pre-engineering program where students can earn college credit.
“Our vision is to take what we have and build upon it, to expand and enrich,” he said.
