TAG Education Collaborative (TAG-Ed), the Technology Association of Georgia’s charitable organization dedicated to preparing the next-generation workforce, is proud to announce that over 260,000 students and educators will join in a statewide celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math education on May 3, 2013, with registration growing each day.

Governor Nathan Deal issued a proclamation designating Georgia STEM Day as May 3 with the purpose of promoting STEM education and careers to K-12 students to help Georgia meet the growing demands of an increasingly technical marketplace.

“We are thrilled by the overwhelming response and support of the first Georgia STEM Day. Participation has immensely exceeded our expectations, and we are proud to see it has become a truly statewide celebration of STEM education,” said Katie Dion, director of communications and engagement, TAG-Ed. “We couldn’t have achieved this success in our first year without the efforts of our community partners, who have amplified STEM Day’s reach by promoting our cause and by providing educational resources.”

TAG-Ed has collaborated with over 30 Georgia education institutions, associations, and STEM-based companies to establish Georgia STEM Day as an annual celebration of STEM.

“As a leader in the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, I’m reminded daily of the importance of having a professional workforce that is proficient in STEM skills,” said Shan Cooper, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager-Marietta, Greenville, Clarksburg and Meridian, and board chair, Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. “As the current board chair of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, I’m so pleased that we are partnering with TAG-Ed and many other forward-thinking organizations on this first statewide effort to raise awareness of the exciting possibilities provided by STEM education.  If we are to be truly competitive globally, it is vital that we prepare our young people properly for the challenges ahead.”

Participation ranges from individual classrooms to entire school districts. Some educators are partnering with local companies to provide speakers and field trip opportunities that compliment their STEM curriculum in order to help students make the vital connection between the classroom and STEM careers.

Other classes will focus on hands-on activities to reinforce STEM learning. For example, in Bryan County High School, an engineering class will launch hand made "wizard rockets" to conclude their unit on aerospace engineering. At Buford Middle School, all grade levels will be given a different challenge to solve during their CTAE Connections block.  The eighth grade will use forces and simple machines to create an egg catapult, the seventh grade students will use problem solving and surface area to create a kite with the longest flight time, and the sixth grade students will apply the propulsion concept and create a 10 to 15 feet long clothespin shuttle. In Columbus, students of Hannan Elementary Magnet Academy will listen to a speaker from TSYS, followed by an instructional project to explore the mechanics of machines using K’NEX construction toys. 

“The Georgia Department of Education is excited that so many schools and students have chosen to promote STEM in the classroom on May 3,” said Gilda Lyon, CTAE program specialist and STEM coordinator, Georgia Department of Education. “This is evidence of the new wave of preparing students for the high paying, highly skilled, and high demand STEM jobs we need in Georgia over the next twenty years.”

An informational video about Georgia STEM Day is available on TAG-Ed’s website:http://bit.ly/GASTEMDay.

To learn more or to register your class or organization for Georgia STEM Day, please visit http://bit.ly/GASTEMDay. To follow the conversation on Twitter, track #GASTEMDay.

Organizations and partners supporting Georgia STEM Day include:

After-School All Stars

Atlanta Science Festival

Bulloch County Schools

Cbeyond

Cisco

Clayton State University

Definition 6

Discover Your World

Dewar College of Education at Valdosta State University

Georgia Afterschool Investment Council

Georgia Association For Career And Technical Education

Georgia Charter School Association

Georgia College

The Georgia Department of Education

Georgia Gwinnett College

Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education

Georgia Perimeter College

Georgia State University College of Education

Georgia State University J. Mack Robinson College of Business

Georgia Southern College of Education

Georgia Southern Institute for Interdisciplinary STEM Education ( i²STEM^e)

Georgia Tech Direct to Discovery

Georgia Tech Research Institute

Georgia Tech CEISMC

Georgia Youth Science and Technology Centers

Google

Gwinnett County Public Schools

Hypepotamus

Junior Achievement

Microsoft

Parker Executive Search

Peak 10

Project Lead the Way

The Sandy Springs Education Force

Southern Polytechnic State University Teach

The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)

University of Georgia College of Engineering