Sally Ride Science Academy Engages Teachers and Counselors to Inspire Students and Promote Cool Careers in Science and Math
San Diego, CA (PRWEB) July 16, 2013 -- The Sally Ride Science Academy, brought to you by ExxonMobil, announced today that 150 upper elementary and middle school educators and counselors across the country have been selected to attend the Academy’s professional development program.
The Academy offers professional training to teachers and counselors on the importance of introducing young students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers, and provides a variety of instructional methods to foster excitement and awareness around these critical jobs in the classroom.
The skills needed for today’s jobs have changed dramatically in the past decade, and the need for STEM backgrounds is increasingly important. In fact, the U.S. Department of Commerce projects STEM job openings will grow 17 percent by 2018 – a much faster rate than most other careers.
“This year marks five years of the Sally Ride Science Academy, and we’re thrilled to partner with ExxonMobil and work with teachers again. We are continuing Dr. Ride’s mission of inspiring students to build upon their natural interest in science,” said Sheryle Bolton, CEO, Sally Ride Science. “Fulfilling that mission means equipping the nation’s educators with tools to prepare and encourage all students, including young girls, to pursue STEM careers.”
In addition to sparking interest in STEM by supplementing the traditional math and science curricula, the Academy also aims to ensure that girls are encouraged to follow their interest in those fields. A 2011 report by the Department of Commerce says that today, despite the fact that women currently hold nearly 60 percent of all bachelor's degrees and make up 48 percent of the workforce overall, only one in seven engineers and one in five computer science experts are women. Studies show that in fourth grade the number of girls and boys who like math and science is about the same, but by eighth grade, twice as many boys as girls show interest in these subjects. Dr. Ride firmly believed that addressing this trend at an early age in the classroom was imperative to capturing—and holding—young people’s attention in STEM.
“Preparing America’s youth to be well-equipped for the future with a solid understanding of science and math remains one of our top priorities,” said Suzanne McCarron, general manager, public and government affairs, ExxonMobil. “The Academy provides teachers a diverse set of careers to show students how they use science and math every day. Broadening student awareness of the types of career paths they can pursue is critical for today’s jobs.”
At the end of the 2012-2013 school year, nearly one million elementary and middle school students across the nation were reached by Academy trainers and those that they went on to train. Two Academies are scheduled to take place in July 2013, in San Diego. Educators are selected to attend by local school administrators from targeted school districts across the country. This year, for the first time, Academy participants will be introduced to an online version of the Academy that they will be able to use to reach even more of their colleagues when they return to their districts. The Online Academy, created with support from ExxonMobil, will enable Academy-trained teachers to bypass the logistical and scheduling challenges that have sometimes kept participants from reaching all of the home district teachers who wanted the Academy professional development.
The Sally Ride Science Academy brought to you by ExxonMobil is a partnership between Sally Ride Science, founded by the first American woman in space, and ExxonMobil. The Academy is part of ExxonMobil’s investment in math and science education in the United States. The company supports numerous other initiatives that encourage students to take an active interest in careers in the math and science fields, support the professional development of highly qualified teachers, and promote involvement of women and minority students.
About ExxonMobil
Globally, ExxonMobil provides funding to improve basic education, promote women as catalysts for economic development, and combat malaria and other infectious diseases in developing countries. In 2012, together with its employees and retirees, Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), its divisions and affiliates, and the ExxonMobil Foundation provided $256 million in contributions worldwide, of which $116 million was dedicated to education. http://www.exxonmobil.com/community.
About Sally Ride Science
Sally Ride Science is an innovative science education company dedicated to supporting all students’ interests in science, technology, engineering, and math. Founded by Dr. Sally Ride, the Company creates programs (including the Sally Ride Science Academy brought to you by ExxonMobil for teachers) and classroom resources that bring science to life for students, their parents, and their teachers.
Matt Casper, Sally Ride Science, http://www.sallyridescience.com, +1 858-638-1432 145, [email protected]
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