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STEM: Nurturing tomorrow’s pioneers

by Marion C. Blakey, AIA President & CEO
Originally appeared in Washington Business Journal, April 28, 2011

Among Washington’s many visitors this spring were select groups of young people who mixed hard work with fun, vying in top technology competitions. Their keen interest in innovation is heartening, particularly as we face a key challenge: Ensuring an adequate supply of skilled workers to fuel America’s global competitiveness.

Hundreds of middle and high school students came here to test their mettle before judges in the Air Force Association’s CyberPatriot, the Real World Design Challenge in engineering, and the Raytheon MATHCOUNTS competition, to name a few. On May 14, in The Plains, Va., 600 more will compete in Team America Rocketry Challenge’s national championship, striving to launch a raw egg 750 feet in the air and recover it intact.

Read more: STEM: Nurturing tomorrow’s pioneers

© 2011 Washington Business Journal