SEATTLE — All the fanfare of a high-profile college football recruit announcing where he’s taking his talents was laid out for 49 students pursuing science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers Tuesday.
Six were from Snohomish and Island counties.
Industry and education leaders spoke about the importance of STEM. They praised the students for choosing careers considered to be in dire need of workers in the coming decades. Advocates argue that improving education and interest in those disciplines will make the U.S. more competitive in the global economy.
The letter of intent was largely ceremonial. It did, however, highlight the students for their success in STEM thus far, and their potential to shape the fields later.
“These students and their peers will be the leaders who advance technology and innovation in the 21st Century workplace,” said Ted Colbert, chief information officer and senior vice president of information technology and data analytics at The Boeing Company. “And we feel privileged to support them in this endeavor.”
Every student has the capacity to create, discover, lead and problem solve. That's why we're celebrating students from across Washington State who are pursuing #STEM opportunities. #STEMSigningDay #BoeingInspires @washingtonstem pic.twitter.com/8EOREEyzBl
— Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) April 24, 2018
The local students were: Mary Catherine Meno, a senior at Arlington High School, who plans to study cognitive science at the University of Washington or University of Georgia; Trevor Crabb, a senior at Bothell High School, who plans to study aerospace and aeronautical engineering at Arizona State University; Parker Leland, a senior at Everett High School, who plans to study public health at UW; Kristine Tandoc, a senior at Kamiak High School, who plans to study biochemistry at the University of Pennsylvania or UW; Clifford Hartley, a senior at Oak Harbor High School, who plans to study computer engineering or aeronautical engineering at UW; and Ciara West, a senior at Snohomish High School, who plans to study physics and mathematics at UW.
Students at the event were chosen by the nonprofit Washington STEM. Bolstering the ranks of STEM students was identified as a priority by President Barack Obama in 2015. The Brookings Institute reports that about 20 percent of all jobs in 2011 required STEM expertise.
A gap existed between the need and the available talent. According to the United States Department of Education, only 16 percent of American high school seniors were proficient in math and interested in STEM careers.
Internationally, U.S. students lagged behind industrialized nations in math and science aptitude. Washington STEM reported that jobs in those fields grew threefold.
Encouraging students with events such as the letter of intent signing day is just one way to bridge that divide and get young people as interested in the mechanics of splitting atoms as others are with splitting tacklers.
Ben Watanabe: bwatanabe@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3037. Twitter @benwatanabe.
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