Note: The following is from Arthur Stewart at ORAU, who shared the comments he received after the recent Science Bowl competition.
The Vols4STEM site identified the 2008 Tennessee Science Bowl as an event worthy of volunteer efforts.
Here are some comments from coaches who brought teams to the competition:
“Our students had a wonderful time and we look forward to participating next year, possibly even with two teams! Our hats off to you and the staff who worked to make this weekend a success." -- Analice H. Sowell, Memphis University School
"My students and I had a great time competing and experiencing the whole event. Thank you for all the time and effort that went into planning it and please pass my appreciation on to all the volunteers and sponsors. It was an amazing experience for the ten students I brought along from our school. Only three are seniors, so most are already looking forward to 2009." -- Laurette Carle, Independence High School
"Thanks for a great tournament this weekend. Although my team did not make it into the playoff rounds, my students enjoyed the experience and are already looking forward to next year's tournament." -- Joe Meko, Franklin Road Academy
“The kids are already planning for next year and have requested to be in more advanced science and math classes so they can be more competitive. My JV captain (rising sophomore) has signed up for 2 AP classes and he has challenged every member of his team to reach outside their comfort zone take at least one honors science or math class next year. You may have created a monster.” -- Bob Gant, Morristown Hamblen High School East
The competitions included 54 teams of students from 34 high schools across the state and involved more than 200 volunteers and 30 sponsors. The Tennessee Science Bowl clearly energizes and rewards the coaches and students, to Tennessee’s longer-term science-education benefit. The event cannot be made sustainable without sustained sponsor assistance.
Science Magazine recently featured a story about a Chicago utility company and its executives donating money to a open a math and science charter high school.
The company hopes to both do good in the community and prepare students for the types of positions the company knows that it needs to fill in the future.
According to the article, the executives are taking a hands-on approach to the school and monitoring its success.
The television program "Good Morning America" today highlighted a documentary called "2 Million Minutes" that looks at how high school students in the United States, China and India allocate time during their four high-school years. The title refers to that period of time.
Ultimately, the film showed that students in India and China were more prepared for careers in math, science and engineering and that more emphasis in their lives was placed on academic excellence. In America, in contrast, Bob Crompton, the filmmaker, notes that emphasis is placed on sports and other skills.
"What I saw in the K-12 schools absolutely shocked me in both India and China. … I became very concerned about the competitiveness of my own daughters' education," Compton said on "Good Morning America." "Between the cultures, students allocate their time quite differently. The difference is the parental expectations of the students, the community's expectations."
Siemens' President and CEO George Nolen had an editorial in the Washington Business Journal recently describing how his company will need young people who are well educated in math and science, yet does not see that population growing to the numbers that the market requires.
"Strengthening America's commitment to math and science is a critical business issue that transcends quarterly results. Over the next five years, the demand for scientists and engineers in this country is expected to outstrip the overall growth rate for other occupations by at least 70 percent. Yet to date, as a nation, we are falling far short in preparing the next generation of Americans for these critical jobs."
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