MI Gov. Granholm Speech

[Chris Hibner]

This is a quote from the Governor's Education Summit:

Before and After School Tutoring: Granholm has proposed new funding
for before and after school programs to help middle school students with
math, science, and computer skills. This $15 million program would
ensure that students enter high school ready to meet the challenges of
the new curriculum. In addition, the Governor has asked the Legislature
to make Michigan the first state in the nation to fund the FIRST
robotics competition where high school students can learn engineering
skills.

[Beth Sweet]

Chris,

There have already been a few threads on this subject. Were you trying to put a new angle on it?

[Chris Hibner]

Originally Posted by Beth Sweet

Chris,

There have already been a few threads on this subject. Were you trying to put a new angle on it?

Actually, this is a new topic. The speech I'm referring to was given about 2 hours before I posted (the thread you linked was from a couple of weeks ago).

Not a new angle - just to point out that her visit to the GLR wasn't forgotten within a few days. This wasn't a speech to a bunch of FIRSTers at a regional -this was a speech to Michigan's legislators. At today's educational summit, she is urging the Michigan legislature to provide money to put FIRST in every school. That's a big deal - it's not just your usual political lipservice that we get at events. Anyone can come to a regional and say what a great thing it is (that's preaching to the choir) - it's another thing to stand up in front of the people with the power to make it happen and say those things.

In addition to the above quote, she also said that Michigan's new education standards should focus on classes (and I'm paraphrasing here) "needed to get jobs in the 21st century. These classes must include more math, science, and robotics."

Maybe it will fall through the cracks, but who knows. If it goes through, this could be the biggest event in the history of FIRST - and a real big step toward a cultural change.

[Beth Sweet]

Originally Posted by Chris Hibner

Actually, this is a new topic. The speech was given about 2 hours before I posted (the thread you linked was from a couple of weeks ago).

-Chris

Oops, my bad, I thought that this was in reference to the GLR visit. Good catch!

[Biff]

We can dream. Our team 1227 is made up of students from 4 high schools with no teachers that care to help mentor.(for the last two years) It would be nice to have a school space to work in and a teacher or two as a mentor(s) as we did for our first two years.