Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin

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PRESIDENT OBAMA HONORS STEM MENTORS

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FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH, CHALLENGER CENTER

COMMEMORATES SILVER ANNIVERSARY

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What started out as a national tragedy on the morning of Jan. 28, 1986 has turned into a monumental, educational triumph. The Challenger Center for Space Science Education (CCSSE), which serves as a living legacy to the astronauts of the Space Shuttle Challenger, recently celebrated its 25th year of using science and math to help students build the skills most needed for the 21st century, including decision-making, teamwork, problem-solving, and communication. The Challenger Learning Center Network has grown to comprise 48 locations across America and other nations serving more than four million students to date. The Challenger Center for Space Science Education is a not-for-profit education organization created in 1986 by the families of the astronauts from Challenger Space Shuttle "Teacher in Space" mission STS-51-L. Dedicated to the educational spirit of that mission, Challenger Center develops Challenger Learning Centers and other educational programs worldwide to continue the mission of engaging students in science and mathematics education.

Throughout its history, Challenger Center has developed a kaleidoscope of education innovations that serve as a launch pad to learning. Their network of Challenger Learning Centers, diverse classroom programming, and community outreach programs, excite students' natural curiosities and encourage them to learn. Innovative teacher training workshops give instructors a deeper understanding of how to teach the subjects of science and mathematics, as well as confidence that the programs they are using are content-rich and consistent with current scientific understanding. All Challenger Center programs are developed by staff educators and space scientists to ensure accuracy in content and methods of instruction. Find out more at www.challenger.org.  

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SAMSUNG SOLVE FOR TOMORROW CONTEST IN STEM

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Samsung has announced that more than 1,100 schools nationwide entered the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest by responding to the question: "How can science or math help improve the environment in your community?" Finalists have proposed advanced solutions to issues such as transportation, building, energy, water, conservation, and waste management. The public online voting period to determine the winner of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest will continue through February 18, 2011 at www.samsung.com/solvefortomorrow. Part of Samsung's Hope for Children initiative, the program is geared towards encouraging teachers to increase student interest in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Beginning in September 2010, Samsung called on teachers across the United States to submit a short application for a chance to participate in the video competition. Samsung received over 1,000 submissions from around the country and selected 50 finalists to participate in the next phase of the contest. The 50 finalists received video creation kits which contained $50,000 of technology. "Samsung has made a significant effort to reinforce and raise awareness for STEM education, an issue that is critically important to education in the U.S.," said David Steel, EVP of Strategy and Corporate Communications, Samsung Electronics America. "By supporting government initiatives like Change the Equation, we are committed to providing students and teachers with the necessary technologies and resources to further their education."      

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NATIONAL MATH AND SCIENCE INITIATIVE

OUTREACH TO STUDENTS IN MILITARY FAMILIES

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President Barack Obama announced last week that his "Educate to Innovate" campaign will mobilize greater support for military children's math and science achievement and tasked the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) with helping lead that effort. "This is not a one-time event. We will push and advocate. We are going to mobilize the government and private sector," the President said at an event in the East Room of the White House. He said the White House wants to make sure that military children are receiving the support and education they need to thrive, especially when a parent is deployed and when making the difficult transition between different communities and schools. As part of the new outreach to military families, the President called on NMSI to partner with the White House Office of Science and Technology, Department of Defense, and leading nonprofits and companies to expand access for military-connected children to attend Advanced Placement classes in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The new White House mandate reinforces the Initiative for Military Families (IMF) that was launched during the 2010-2011 school year by NMSI in four public schools that serve a large number of military families. It is expected that with the strong White House support and additional future funding, the innovative program will be expanded to 150 public high schools serving military populations. More than 160,000 young people in the U.S. have a parent currently deployed in active duty combat, and over one million children have had a parent deployed during the last eight years. In total, there are over two million children of active duty, National Guard, and reserve military personnel in public schools in the U.S. NMSI was launched in 2007 by top leaders in business, education, and science to reverse the United States' troubling decline in math and science education. More details are at www.nationalmathandscience.org. 

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FORTY YOUNG INNOVATORS NAMED INTEL SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH 2011 FINALISTS

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Forty high school seniors from across the U.S. are celebrating their selection as finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search, a program of Society for Science & the Public (SSP). The finalists will gather in Washington, D.C. from March 10-15 to compete for $630,000 in awards. The top winner will receive $100,000 from the Intel Foundation. "The most pressing issues in society today will be solved by curious youth, like these Intel Science Talent Search competitors," said Shelly Esque, vice president of Intel's Corporate Affairs Group. "It is their passion for math and science that lays the foundation for America's innovation." Intel has sponsored the Intel Science Talent Search and the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair for 13 and 14 years, respectively. Because Intel views education as the foundation for innovation, over the past decade, Intel and the Intel Foundation have invested more than $1 billion and Intel employees have donated close to 3 million hours toward improving education in more than 60 countries. Society for Science & the Public, a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education, has owned and administered the Science Talent Search since its inception in 1942.

This year's finalists come from 15 states and represent 39 schools. For the first time ever, California has surpassed New York as the state with the highest number of young innovators in the competition. This year's finalists' independent research projects include such topics as examining the effect of high levels of glucose on morphine receptors, suggesting that sugar may be addictive; improving pain management for Chinese-American cancer patients through targeted education; using simulated human emotions to change the way people interact with robots; and helping to treat autoimmune diseases with ultraviolet light. Finalists will next gather in Washington, D.C. for a week-long event from March 10-15. They will undergo a rigorous judging process, meet with national leaders, interact with leading scientists and display their research at the National Geographic Society. Top winners will be announced at a black-tie gala awards ceremony at the National Building Museum on March 15. For a list of this year's finalists and more details, visit www.societyforscience.org/sts.  

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EDUCATION SECRETARY LAUNCHES UNITED STATES EDUCATION DASHBOARD

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The U.S. Department of Education has launched a new website that provides convenient and transparent access to key national and state education data, highlighting the progress being made across the country in every level of the education system and encouraging communities to engage in a conversation about their schools. The United States Education Dashboard, available at http://dashboard.ed.gov, presents important indicators of whether the country is making progress toward the President's goal -- that, by 2020, the United States will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. "The Dashboard highlights both our successes and challenges while providing a new level of transparency that is absolutely essential to our efforts to accelerate student achievement," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "We hope communities will use this information to determine where we need to focus on reforms and investments in education."

The Dashboard contains a range of cradle-to-career data that furthers the Department's efforts to provide a more accessible and transparent view of the country's educational system. On a single webpage, those interested will be able to view indicators of the nation's performance in education, gauge their state's progress and see how their state is performing compared to others. The indicators in the Dashboard focus on some key outcomes: Are we preparing young children to enter school? Are students making sufficient progress to graduate from high school and college? Are they completing college in a timely fashion? Are we providing an excellent education to all students? This first version of the Dashboard contains a set of 16 indicators that range from participation in early childhood education through completion of postsecondary education, plus indicators on teachers and leaders, and equity for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary students. The Dashboard also includes a section, "An Excellent Education for All," which provides data on whether subgroups are performing sufficiently. The Department is committed to continually updating the Dashboard's data and to enhancing the tools on the website. Indicators will be updated as new information becomes available, and users are encouraged to provide comments and feedback on the Dashboard so that usability and functionality can be enhanced in updates and subsequent versions.

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GE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES $20 MILLION GRANT

FOR STEM EDUCATION IN MILWAUKEE

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TCEB Sponsors

This issue of the TCEB is made possible by a grant from:

3M 

3M is a diversified technology company committed to providing practical and ingenious solutions to help customers succeed.

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To find out how your organization can sponsor the TCEB or support the Triangle Coalition in other ways, visit www.trianglecoalition.org/support.htm

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