STEM

Lockheed Martin Gives $800,000 to Denver Public Schools to Expand STEM

• By Richard Chang
• 05/06/16

Lockheed Martin is investing $800,000 in Denver Public Schools (DPS) to expand science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programming and education. The investment will underwrite the cost of implementing Project Lead the Way’s STEM-based curricula at up to 100 elementary, middle and high schools in DPS over a three-year period.

Project Lead the Way is a nonprofit organization that provides learning experiences in computer science, engineering and biomedical science for K-12 students and teachers across the United States.

“Studies show that nearly 20 percent of the U.S. workforce — more than 26 million jobs — require significant STEM knowledge and skills,” said Vince Bertram, president and CEO of Project Lead the Way, in a prepared statement. “Schools help students through Project Lead the Way by developing in-demand knowledge and transportable skills — like creative thinking, problem solving, communication and collaboration — to succeed in all career paths and thrive in our rapidly advancing world.”

The announcement was made today at Denver’s Colorado Convention Center, where the Society of Women Engineers were hosting a “Girls Exploring Science, Technology, Engineering and Math” event. More than 1,000 middle school girls participated in science and technology activities, getting a taste of how science and math can be fun and can solve real-world problems.

Since 2007, Lockheed Martin, based in Bethesda, MD, has committed $6 million nationally to expand Project Lead the Way programs in selected school districts. In 2015, the aerospace and global security company directed $13 million and nearly 110,000 volunteer hours to STEM initiatives.