Long Island's First STEM High School to Open in Fall 2013

LongIsland.com

Long Island's first regional high school for science and technology is scheduled to open in Fall 2013.

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Long Island’s first regional high school for science and technology is scheduled to open in fall 2013. The Doshi STEM Program is designed to prepare students to compete in an increasingly demanding high tech global marketplace.

The Syosset-based STEM school that will equip students with skills they need to excel in science, technology, engineering and math, will receive a $1 million contribution from a private foundation.

“The science and technology jobs are clearly a path to being successful here on Long Island,” said Nassau BOCES district superintendent Dr. Thomas Rogers.

“We have these incredible science institutions and assets here on Long Island, and this really marries those great regional assets with our education system. It allows us to build a pipeline right from high school into the exciting industry sectors that are here on Long Island,” he continued.

As the 21st century global marketplace rapidly evolves with issues surrounding global warming and renewable energy, increasing numbers of companies have high tech jobs they cannot fill with qualified candidates. The numbers of students pursuing STEM studies is simply not keeping apace.

The United States is seriously lagging behind other nations in producing young people proficient in STEM disciplines. According to the most recent results available from the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 15-year-olds in the United States rank 20th in science proficiency and 30th in math proficiency worldwide.

Long Island, too, is in need of a highly-skilled technical workforce. At a recent meeting of the Long Island STEM Hub, the Manager of the Office of Educational Programs at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Ken White, commented, "Long Island has many businesses, as well as educational and scientific institutions, that need a technical workforce, but students are not pursuing studies in STEM, and young people are leaving Long Island when good jobs are available here.”

Educators, civic and governmental leaders on Long Island all agree that science, technology, engineering and math education is essential to the long-term health and vitality of our region. In direct response, the new STEM school will admit 50 ninth graders in the fall, eventually expanding to 200 in the next four years.


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