Nevada needs everyone if we want to realize our STEM potential.
Especially you.
Whether you are a parent, a student, a resident, a member of the workforce or a business leader, you have a lot at stake when it comes to our state’s succes as a hub for science, technology, engineering and math careers. The good news is, you can play a role in improving STEM education.
Ways you can help:
- Share your STEM skills, or those of your company, with students and educators as a guest speaker or mentor.
- If you are a STEM business, provide area schools with field trip opportunities.
- Support your local school’s STEM efforts with supplies, expertise and funds.
- Vote for local school board and state legislature candidates who support STEM.
- Contact government officials and school representatives (principals, superintendents, councils, your legislators, the Governor, the state Superintendent of Education and the state Board of Education) through letters, emails and in person to make your wishes and expectations known.
- Advocate for STEM education on your social media channels.
- Attend (and, if possible, participate in) local school district meetings and state Board of Education meetings.
Here are some talking points you can share with your community.
Accordion
What is STEM?
- STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. It is an education approach that focuses on active teaching and learning, centered on relevant experiences, problem-solving and critical thinking processes.
- STEM learning fosters creativity and innovative thinking through real-world problem solving.
- STEM education uses equipment that relates to the real world.
Why is STEM important to Nevada?
- The majority of Nevada’s nine key industries require STEM skills, and Nevada has a shortage of STEM-skilled workers.
- Nevada needs to prepare its students for a globally competitive economy and educated society. STEM education prepares all students for the opportunities and challenges of both the new Nevada and the greater world.
- Median wages for Nevada STEM jobs are double that of non-STEM jobs.
- According to the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, science and STEM teaching can improve reading, problem solving, critical thinking, and collaboration, leading to improved student achievement in all subjects and the creation of a higher quality work force, even in non-STEM jobs.
- Analytics software company Burning Glass Technologies reports that there are twice as many job postings for those with STEM education as non-STEM grads for those with a bachelor degree.