ADE Blog - Alliance for Digital Equality | Empowering Communities Across The Digital Divide

White House Science Fair and the Role of STEM in America’s Youth

posted 10/19/10

On Monday, President Obama hosted the first ever White House Science Fair, saying it is time for student inventors to receive the same recognition as sports heroes. As our nation, and our President, celebrates the brilliance of America’s youth this week, we should keep in mind the role that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) plays in the future of our youth and our nation.

Among the White House Science Fair exhibits were a solar power five-year car, a hydro-power water purification system and a “smart” steering wheel that sounds an alarm when a driver takes one or both hands off of the wheel. All of these inventions demonstrate that these young inventors have received education in STEM fields and are able to cleverly apply this education to the real world. What’s particularly impressive is that these inventions are timely and pertinent to some of the greatest issues facing our nation today.

Just take a look at our nation’s agenda. On the short list are energy and climate legislation, health care legislation and financial reform. These issues will remain prominent economic issues for years to come, and they will only be resolved is if our next generation is armed with the appropriate knowledge and tools, along with the ability to apply both.

We at ADE feel strongly about the role that today’s youth play in building a better tomorrow and are committed to the empowerment of our youth through our Learning Without Walls Program (LWOW), an initiative aimed at enhancing literacy, student performance and self-esteem through the use of broadband technologies. Recently we were able to report that LWOW students flourished both inside and outside of the classroom, proving that access to broadband services is critical for students to achieve their maximum potential. And we hope to replicate these results in the weeks, months and years to come.

We believe that access to broadband technologies will help our nation stay competitive in this global marketplace. As we celebrate National Science Fair Week, we encourage policymakers to remain committed to ensuring that we are prepared to lead 100 years from now by pushing forward policies that encourage private investment and access to the essential tool of our future – broadband technology.

Yesterday, President Obama showed the nation that he is dedicated to the cultivation of our youth through education. We hope that policymakers follow suit and continue encouraging the deployment of affordable broadband technologies as an investment in the future of our nation and our youth.