DEARBORN, Mich., May 17, 2007 – Minnesota students are about to get a leg up in the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Alice Seagren, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Dan McElroy and Brenda Norman, executive director of the Governor’s Workforce Development Council, are encouraging Minnesota principals to accept a grant from the SME Education Foundation to establish Science, Technology & Engineering Preview Summer (STEPS) Academy programs in Minnesota middle schools.

“STEPS programs have impacted over 4,000 students since 1997, and we are thrilled the SME Educational Foundation would like to expand its outreach in Minnesota…” said Seagren, McElroy and Norman in a letter to Minnesota principals. “In an increasingly competitive global economy, today’s students, the future Minnesota workforce, need to prepare for the STEM disciplines.”

The SME Education Foundation grants for STEPS Academies are available to middle schools that offer Gateway to Technology, a Project Lead the Way (PLTW) pre-engineering curriculum. Each of the $12,500 grants would help fund a one-week STEPS Academy at the schools beginning in summer 2008.

Already in use at 136 Minnesota schools, PLTW’s Gateway to Technology course is a five-unit middle school program that offers a flexible, project-based, cutting-edge curriculum. Taught during the school year in conjunction with rigorous core middle school courses, Gateway to Technology adheres to national standards in math, science and technology.

The SME Education Foundation and PLTW created STEPS Academy to help increase students’ interest in taking PLTW classes during the school year. At each STEPS Academy, Gateway to Technology-certified instructors facilitate project-based, high-interest instruction and activities. The co-ed program allows campers to use leading-edge technologies that they would otherwise most likely not encounter until college, sampling disciplines such as robotics, electronics and aerospace. By giving students a preview of the exciting applications of science, technology and engineering, STEPS Academy motivates students to get involved in school-year Gateway to Technology courses and take more advanced science and math courses in high school in preparation for college.

“Working together, STEPS Academy and PLTW’s Gateway to Technology curriculum introduce kids to exciting possibilities during a time when they are making college- and career-affecting decisions,” said Glen Pearson, president, SME Education Foundation. “Minnesota’s job market is changing, and the jobs of the future will increasingly require an interest and advanced training in STEM subjects. We’re thrilled to be helping students discover skills that will allow them have stimulating careers and lead fulfilling lives.”

Forty-three schools in 17 states will host their own STEPS Academies this summer, with some locations offering multiple sessions for a total of 61 Academies nationwide. The SME Education Foundation and PLTW aim to increase that number to 200 STEPS Academies by 2010.

Established in 1980, the SME Education Foundation has contributed more than $3 million over the past 11 years to support youth programs and initiatives that inspire, support and prepare young people for careers in manufacturing. For more information about these and other SME Education Foundation programs, go to www.sme.org/foundation.

About the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation is one of the nation’s leading non-profit organizations dedicated to advancing manufacturing education. Its approach is three-fold: to inspire youth to pursue careers in manufacturing, to support students studying for a career in an engineering-related field and prepare these students through its Manufacturing Education Plan grant program in colleges and technical schools. Since 1980, the Foundation has provided more than $19 million in grants, scholarships and awards. The Education Foundation was created by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers in 1979 as a means of transforming manufacturing education in North American colleges and universities.

SME Education Foundation, One SME Drive, Dearborn, MI 48130

About Project Lead the Way
Project Lead The Way^® is a not-for-profit organization that promotes pre-engineering courses for middle and high school students. PLTW forms partnerships with public schools and higher education institutions and the private sector to increase the quantity and quality of engineers and engineering technologists graduating from our educational system. Visit www.pltw.org.

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If you have any questions or comments, please contact the SME Education Foundation by phone (313) 425-3300, e-mail foundation@sme.org, or Fax: (313) 425-3411