Providing opportunities for STEM students to grow

To help prepare students for future careers in fields from chemistry and earth sciences to computer engineering and physics, schools in Central Washington and across the country are emphasizing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education programs. And as the home to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Hanford Site, Energy Northwest, and numerous other science and technology startups, Central Washington’s students have prime examples of the many rewarding careers in computer science, technology, research, or engineering available to them. Unfortunately, while schools in our district offer many unique opportunities for learning, many students still struggle due to lack of access to broadband.

At the Hanford Site, scientists and researchers from PNNL conduct workshops with local students about careers in nuclear science. Just a few weeks ago, I met with students from across Washington as they competed in the FIRST Tech Challenge at Hanford High School. Each year, a new challenge is presented where students design, build, program, and operate robots to compete in a head-to-head challenge in an alliance format. Guided by adult coaches and mentors, students develop STEM skills and practice engineering principles, while realizing the value of hard work, innovation, and working as a team. The students’ enthusiasm for getting hands-on experience in this field was nothing short of inspiring.

My office hosts the Central Washington Congressional App Challenge each year, in which middle- and high-school students are encouraged to compete against their peers to create an app that is displayed in the U.S. Capitol. I have received entries from students across our district who have created innovative apps that draw attention to the growing problem of food insecurity in the United States and encourage Americans to donate to their local food banks, promote healthy hearts, and help users manage their money. Such strong interest and participation in programs like the App Challenge and the FIRST Tech Challenge further confirms the growing interest our students have for the STEM fields.

This is why we must ensure rural schools are provided with the tools they need to cultivate the minds and careers of our students. I cosponsored the Broadband for Rural America Act, which invests $43.2 billion in USDA’s Rural Development broadband programs by providing last-mile technical and financial assistance to rural communities seeking to improve their broadband service, increasing resources available to build out the middle mile, providing grant funding to small rural communities, and providing funds to invest in distance learning and telemedicine capabilities. Overall, these investments provide opportunities for rural communities to invest in the health and well-being of their communities, incentivize business growth, and expand economic opportunities, especially for the over 9 million students in the United States who attend rural schools with limited access to broadband.

By providing opportunities for broadband investment, our rural teachers, students, and communities will have the ability to access the tools they need. By enhancing STEM education in rural schools, we are creating opportunities for Central Washington’s students to compete for high-paying jobs and strengthening our international competitiveness. I am proud to represent the hard-working students and teachers of Central Washington, and I look forward to continuing to work to promote rural STEM education in Congress.