DENVER, May 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/
-- Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) education
took center stage today at the Colorado Convention Center, where Lockheed
Martin (NYSE: LMT) announced an $800,000 STEM investment in partnership with
Project Lead The Way and the Denver Public Schools Foundation to
expand STEM programming for Denver Public Schools (DPS)
students.
The Lockheed Martin investment will underwrite the cost of
implementing Project Lead The Way's STEM-based curricula at up to
100 elementary, middle and high schools in DPS over a three-year
period, depending on grade level and scope of program
implementation.
Project Lead The Way is a nonprofit organization that provides
transformative learning experiences for K-12 students and teachers
across the United States through
pathways in computer science, engineering and biomedical
science.
"Studies show that nearly 20 percent of the U.S. workforce—more
than 26 million jobs—require significant STEM knowledge and
skills," said Dr. Vince Bertram,
president and CEO of Project Lead The Way. "Schools help students
through Project Lead The Way by developing in-demand knowledge and
transportable skills—like creative thinking, problem solving,
communication and collaboration—to succeed in all career paths and
thrive in our rapidly advancing world."
The announcement was held in conjunction with a Society of Women
Engineers' Girls Exploring Science, Technology, Engineering and
Math event—where more than 1,000 middle school girls participated
in science and technology activities. Denver Public School students who participated
received a taste of how science and math can be fun and help solve
real-world problems.
Verónica Figoli, president and CEO of the Denver Public Schools
Foundation, spoke about why it's important to continue STEM
momentum in the classroom and how the Lockheed Martin investment
will help make this possible.
"We're absolutely thrilled to be able to introduce more students
to the STEM environment by bringing compelling, career-focused STEM
content into more classrooms," she explained.
STEM education is the foundation for the nation's future,
particularly in the aerospace industry that thrives in Colorado. With the second largest aerospace
economy in the nation, Colorado
has a need to fill its talent pipeline with skilled, technical
graduates—the base of which is built upon early access to STEM
education. On a national level, the U.S. Department of Education
estimates a supply demand gap of 1.3 million in STEM talent by 2020
in the U.S., which only further increases the need for widespread
STEM education like the programming offered by Project Lead The
Way.
Mark Valerio, vice president,
Enterprise Solutions and Integration for Lockheed Martin Space
Systems, underscored the tremendous impact that STEM programming
has on industry sustainability.
"Today's elementary, middle and high schoolers are tomorrow's
scientists and space explorers. The earlier we ingrain science,
technology, engineering and math into their education, the earlier
they will learn the skillsets needed to become those visionary
thinkers who will continue to move our country forward," he stated.
"It's absolutely vital that we make this educational investment
now, so we can secure a strong scientific and economic future for
our country."
Lockheed Martin has committed $6
million nationally to expand Project Lead The Way programs
in select U.S. school districts. In addition to Denver, Lockheed
Martin has similar partnerships in Huntsville, Alabama; Fort Worth, Texas; Orange County, Florida; and Washington, D.C. The grant funding covers
program implementation costs, including Project Lead The Way
teacher professional development training, software, classroom
equipment and supplies. In addition to the grant funding, Lockheed
Martin engineers volunteer in classrooms—building relationships
with students as both role models and mentors.
Lockheed Martin has partnered with Project Lead the Way to help
implement STEM Curriculum in school districts across the U.S. since
2007. In 2015, Lockheed Martin directed $13
million and nearly 110,000 volunteer hours specifically to
STEM initiatives.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a
global security and aerospace company that employs approximately
125,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the
research, design, development, manufacture, integration and
sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.
For more information, visit http://lockheedmartin.com/.
About the Denver Public Schools Foundation
The Denver
Public Schools Foundation is the Denver Public Schools' fundraising
partner. It generates resources, builds relationships and champions
public education to help Every Child Succeed. It is entirely built
and sustained by the community; by supporting the DPS Foundation,
businesses and individuals are creating positive, sustainable
change in Denver's schools and contributing to the success of our
next generation. For more information, visit
www.dpsfoundation.org.
About Denver Public Schools
Denver Public Schools
(DPS) is committed to meeting the educational needs of every
student, with great schools in every neighborhood. Its goal is to
provide every child in Denver with
rigorous, enriching educational opportunities from preschool
through high school graduation. DPS is comprised of 185 schools,
including traditional, magnet, charter and pathways schools, with a
current total enrollment of approximately 91,000 students—77.5
percent of which are minorities. DPS is the fastest-growing urban
school district in the country in terms of enrollment, and is the
fastest-growing large school district in Colorado in terms of academic growth. Learn
more at https://www.dpsk12.org/.
About Project Lead The Way
Project Lead The Way (PLTW)
is a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative learning
experience for K-12 students and teachers across the U.S. Through
pathways in computer science, engineering and biomedical science,
K-12 students learn problem-solving strategies, critical and
creative thinking, and how to communicate and collaborate. PLTW
empowers students to develop in-demand knowledge and skills
necessary to thrive in an evolving world. More than 8,000
elementary, middle and high schools in all 50 states and the
District of Columbia offer PLTW
programs. For more information, visit www.pltw.org.
About GESTEM
Girls Exploring Science, Technology,
Engineering and Math (GESTEM) is an annual event hosted by the
Rocky Mountain Society of Women's Engineer's (SWE), for
approximately 1,000 middle school girls in Denver. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company
provides philanthropic grant support to GESTEM, and approximately
50 Lockheed Martin employee volunteers support the event as guides
and workshop presenters. Approximately 130 DPS 6th and
7th grade girls from five DPS schools are among those
participating in the event. Learn more about this year's event at
http://www.swe-rms.org/gestem.html.
Media Contacts
Lauren
Duda, Lockheed Martin – (303) 324-1764;
lauren.e.duda@lmco.com
Alex Renteria, Denver Public Schools
– (720) 423-3258; alexandra_renteria@dpsk12.org
Kristy Koken, Denver Public Schools
Foundation – (303) 929-0725;
kkoken@dpsfoundation.org
Jennifer Cahill, Project Lead The
Way – (812) 483-5124; jcahill@pltw.org
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin