STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR LINDA LINGLE ON PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PLANS TO BOOST STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENTS IN STEM EDUCATION
HONOLULU - Former Governor Linda Lingle, candidate for Hawaii's U.S. Senate seat, released the following statement today after President Obama announced a plan this morning to boost students' achievement in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The President's plan includes the creation of a STEM Master Teacher Corps, which will begin in 50 locations across the country, and expand with mentors focused on educating math and science teachers, inspiring students, and helping their communities grow.
"President Obama's statements in Washington today are in sync with the STEM education programs and initiatives my team and I advocated and worked for during my term as Governor of Hawaii. If I am elected to the U.S. Senate, I would be pleased to support the President's focus on STEM education that is aimed at placing the best teachers in our keikis' classrooms.
"The President's plan to boost STEM education across the country by attracting and retaining the best educators is a good policy for America and will benefit Hawaii's students, ensuring they are prepared for the jobs of the 21st century. As Governor, my team launched the Hawaii Innovation Initiative, which adopted educational programs in public schools that focused on STEM skills," said Governor Linda Lingle.
Through the Hawaii Innovation Initiative, STEM-focused programs like hands-on robotics education programs quickly gained traction and by the end of Governor Lingle's second term in office, more than half of all Hawaii schools offered a robotics team for their students to pursue their excitement for STEM education. Moreover, student participation in STEM-inspired extracurricular robotics competitions such as FIRST Robotics Competition,
FIRST LEGO League, Botball, VEX Robotics, Micro Robotics and Underwater ROV, which today are supported by the Friends of Hawaii Robotics, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, climbed from 95 teams in 2008 to almost 500 teams today.
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