“A World in Motion” in Montana. An incredible, exciting science, technology, engineering and math education program for the students of Montana
| February 29, 2008 |  View for printing |
As many of you know, for years, I have been promoting and funding “A World in Motion” – AWIM in Montana.
AWIM http://www.awim.org/ is an incredible, exciting science, technology, engineering and math education program. I’ve spoken to you as a group and individually about AWIM. Now, I am so pleased to have the Governor and First Lady working with me and with the SAE Foundation http://www.sae.org in further advancing this program through a partnership with their Math and Science Initiative.
Speech given at the Montana Ambassadors http://www.montanaambassadors.com/ Annual Meeting by Arne Siegel
I passionately believe in the importance and value of AWIM. It educates our students in science, technology, engineering and math or STEM subjects. For our economic future, we need a well-educated workforce. The time to start this training has been and continues to be NOW.
AWIM is doing just that. As early as 3rd and 4th grade, the program brings math and science to life through hands-on/project based curricula, teaching basic skills that are built upon in subsequent grades. Much to the delight of Governor Schweitzer, this year, AWIM will launch a fuel cell curriculum which will be field tested in Montana. And even more exciting is the development of a K-3 curriculum which will be introduced in 2009. Imagine, 1st graders learning about scientific principles sparking their interest in math and science.
Slowly and steadily in Montana we have reached approximately 100 schools, over 550 kits for classrooms and approximately 15,000 students have been served. SAE has contributed over $156,000 in AWIM materials. A huge number of hours have also been contributed to AWIM in Montana.
I want to personally thank the Governor and First Lady Nancy for our partnership and look forward to the continued rapid growth of AWIM in Montana. Nancy has visited numerous classrooms and teacher training programs where AWIM is being used. She is enthusiastic about AWIM and the excitement that she has seen from the students engaged in the program.
Let’s take a few moments and look at a snapshot of AWIM and the Governor’s and First Lady’s Math & Science Initiative.
As Ambassadors, and with the support of our Boards of Directors, we have taken on AWIM twelve years ago as an effective tool to enhance the technological aptitude of our workforce and those entering college.
As many of you know, I have personally committed many hours and much money to advancing AWIM and other education initiatives in our State and I am pleased to announce that at the SAE Foundation Board meeting last August, the board approved an additional $150,000 to be added to the rural Rocky Mountain States Endowment Fund which I and one other established for AWIM. This brings the total of that fund to $500,000. My wife, Steffi, and I have committed a quarter of a million dollars to this fund. Now the task is to bring it up to $1 million to provide an Endowment Fund that will support this program in Montana and other rural western states. All funds raised in Montana will stay in Montana.
In order to expand AWIM to more schools I am asking Liz Marchi and others to form a working group of interested parties to develop resources which will put AWIM in all our schools.
As Ambassadors, we have a vested interest in the future workforce of Montana. I hope you will be hearing from a representative of the working group. I personally ask that you take that call or that appointment and learn why you should invest in this program and Montana’s workforce of tomorrow. I know that once you learn more, you will want to be involved not only with contributions but also by volunteering and encouraging your employees to volunteer as mentors in the classroom.
The SAE Foundation has taken a particular interest in Montana because of the great success we have had here over the past 12 years. Many of our rural students have a natural affinity for math and science having grown up around tractors and equipment and working on ranches and farms where there is always a need to “fix” things. That’s what engineers do; we fix things and solve problems. If we capture students’ interest in math, science and engineering in the early grades, then we can keep them interested through their successive years and create a ready workforce to enhance business and technology growth in Montana.
I am very proud of the legacy myself and others in the room have established through our efforts for education in Montana and hope you will join with us. I know that once you learn more about the program, you will become as passionate as we are. Brian and Nancy share my enthusiasm for math and science education and the potential that AWIM has for our children and for our State economy.
If you would like to contribute to this effort or learn more about how you can help, please contact:
Carson S. Walburn
Director, SAE Foundation
400 Commonwealth Drive
Warrendale, PA 15096-0001
724.772.8515 or 877-606-7323
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