Deseret News – Morgan Jacobsen
“In the Coleman family, STEM is a household word. Science, technology, engineering and math are frequent sources of homework for Laurie Coleman’s children in first, third and fifth grades. And since their father is a research scientist, the Coleman children have no shortage of opportunities or parental support in pursuing STEM interests…But there’s a key component of her kids’ education that Coleman doesn’t want them to miss. It’s a puzzle piece that ties it all together, helping them build a foundation of creativity and draw connections in their work, she said. That piece is the arts, which makes Coleman and others see STEAM as a more complete academic puzzle…”There’s room for both, and in fact, there’s a lot of overlap,” said Tamara Goetz, executive director of the Utah STEM Action Center…”Much of what our computer science and programming companies are doing falls within that creative space of arts and digital media. Those skills can really synergize and open up new doors for students,” she said. “I do believe that STEM is not the only direction students can take. But it really does provide academic and career pathways that can bring quality of life and opportunities for life-long learning.””(more)