Governor Announces Student Competition To Expand Maine Students' Engineering Horizons

Press Release

Governor John E. Baldacci today announced a unique opportunity for high school students across the State. The Real World Design Challenge enables young people to apply their technical and engineering skills toward a specific project. This year's challenge relates to fuel efficiency in aviation, and is sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration, NASA and several private companies.

Student groups will compete in-state, with the winning team earning a trip to Washington, D.C., for a national competition. Participating teachers will be provided with $1 million worth of software and online professional development. The goal of the program is to build the engineering workforce of the future, including areas of the emerging "green" sector.

"Providing high quality education is the best foundation we can build for our young people and for Maine's future economy," said Governor Baldacci. "Incorporating the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines, the Real World Design Challenge will help give Maine students hands-on experience and enhance their problem-solving skills and will help build our workforce of the future."

STEM jobs are the largest growing sector of Maine's economy and provide the highest wage opportunities. Currently, one in seven Maine jobs are STEM-related and studies show that opportunities will grow because 40 percent of the industries projected to gain jobs in Maine are STEM-related.

The Governor was joined at the State House announcement by representatives of the public and private partners in this program: the FAA, NASA, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Maine Department of Education, and others. Two educators who have signed up student teams participated in the event: David Dorr, Engineering Technology Instructor at Sanford Career and Technology Education Center, and John Kraljic, Technology Education Teacher at Falmouth High School.

"Through the Challenge, all Maine students will have access to the best resources, enabling them to build 21st century skills that will help to make Maine's future workplace more competitive in a globally competitive economic environment," said Dr. Ralph K. Coppola, Director of the Real World Design Challenge.

"The FAA recognizes the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematic (STEM) programs such as the Real World Design. The program demonstrates a successful public private partnership that will inspire students across the great state of Maine and provide them an opportunity to develop the STEM skills for the 21st century," said Amy L. Corbett, FAA New England Regional Administrator.

"There are exciting things happening -- in energy, the environment and engineering -- and that is represented here today by the partners involved in this project, and in the teachers who have already signed up student teams," said the Governor. "The Real World Design Challenge harnesses young people's knowledge and skills in these areas. The Challenge will bring together education, industry and government to provide a bridge to involve and prepare our youth to enter into STEM careers."

Teachers who are interested in participating in the program need to register their teams by Nov. 16.

More information on the Challenge can be found at http://www.realworlddesignchallenge.org/

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