Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) are growing. Nearly 30 percent of the fastest-growing occupations in the next decade will require at least some background in STEM.

In the fall of 2012, the Mead School District will have a full, two-year STEM Academy at the Riverpoint Campus in downtown Spokane. School districts in Spokane Valley are collaborating to open a Skills Center focusing on STEM Education. Other school districts in our area are implementing STEM curriculum as well.

We’ve advocated for STEM initiatives in our region because its importance is too great to ignore. Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a program that prepares middle and high school students with a rigorous STEM curriculum in pre-engineering and bioscience.