The summit “will bring together more than 1,500 teachers and administrators; university, corporate and foundation partners; and community and government leaders who work together every day to help students develop the knowledge and skills they need to succeed,” according to a Project Lead the Way press release.
Project Lead the Way’s mission is simple: prepare students for the global ?economy.
Its website relays stats taken from the U.S. Department of Commerce that predict jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics will increase 17 percent by the year 2018.
Because of this leap in job creation, the Department of Commerce predicts there will be 1.2 million unfilled STEM jobs in 2018.
As a solution, PLTW is working to educate and develop students who will someday fill these STEM jobs.
PLTW “is the nation’s leading provider of K-12 STEM programs,” according to its website.
It is a nonprofit ?organization that delivers programs to more than 6,500 elementary through high schools in every state and the District of Columbia.
The summit “will serve as a catalyst for collaboration and strategies that can help solve the education and workforce development challenges facing our nation,” according to the release.
Bennett and Charbonneau will speak Nov. 2 and 3, respectively.
Bennett, described in the release as “one of America’s most influential and respected voices on cultural, political and education issues,” served three terms under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush.
Bennett has published 20 books and written frequently about the STEM crisis.
Charbonneau was awarded the 2013 National Teacher of the Year award by President Obama in April 2013. He has since been traveling and speaking about “the importance of education and teaching,” according to the release, and is now back teaching.
Charbonneau is a chemistry and physics teacher, and he incorporates PLTW engineering courses into his classroom, as well.
The summit will begin Nov. 2 and run through Nov. 5 at the Marriott Place Indianapolis.
Those who are interested can register at pltw.org/PLTWSummit .
Anicka Slachta
