The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – Marijke Hecht
“Outdoor environmental education cultivates curiosity and discovery in children, the fundamental building blocks of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) literacy, and it encourages students to make science a part of everyday life. The need to prepare students for STEM jobs is a regular refrain at education and business forums around the region and across the country. According to the National Math and Science Initiative, “STEM job creation over the next 10 years will outpace non-STEM jobs significantly, growing 17 percent, as compared to 9.8 percent for non-STEM positions.” STEM educational programs build inquiry skills, foster creativity and prepare students for the kind of flexible and strategic thinking that will be needed for the highly technical 21st century jobs that are emerging. Many of these future jobs will involve new and, perhaps as yet unimagined, advanced technologies.”(more)