President Obama Celebrates Progress on Educate to Innovate STEM Campaign

In November 2009, President Obama launched the Educate to Innovate initiative—an all-hands-on-deck campaign to help more American students get inspired to excel in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects. As part of that initiative—and the First Lady’s Joining Forces effort—NMSI has led a campaign to broaden access to and achievement in rigorous AP coursework in math, science and English to students of military families. This focus on military-connected students provides needed learning continuity for children whose parents may be re-assigned during the school year and helps ensure that STEM talent near our military bases is developed.
 
At a special event held at the White House today, the President marked the 5th anniversary of Educate to Innovate with several key progress updates showcasing the ongoing momentum of the campaign. NMSI is proud to report that since 2009, it has mobilized $27 million in public and private funds to support expansion of the College Readiness Program to 78 military-connected schools across the country—and the results have been spectacular.
 
•After just one year of the program, students in NMSI’s military-connected partner schools show an 85% increase in qualifying AP math and science exam scores, which is more than 10 times the national average.
•After three years, the increase in qualifying math and science scores among partner schools is still six times the national average.
•As just one example of the program’s success, NMSI’s two schools serving military families in Mississippi accounted for 54% of the entire state’s gains in qualifying AP scores in the 2013-14 school year alone.
 
Today’s White House event provided another source of pride for NMSI. Dr. Bruce Alberts, an esteemed member of NMSI’s Board of Directors, was honored with the National Medal of Science in recognition of his “intellectual leadership and experimental innovation in the field of DNA replication, and for unparalleled dedication to improving science education and promoting science-based public policy.” We extend our gratitude to Dr. Alberts for his support of NMSI and his tireless advocacy of STEM education, and our heartfelt congratulations on this tremendous honor.