Citizen Schools Draws Attention of White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Nearly 150 leaders from across Massachusetts gathered at Citizen Schools' headquarters to hear from Kumar Garg of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. "The real reason why we're here is that Citizen Schools has been having incredible success," explained Garg. "It's a 15-year effort that has really provided a lot of impact. We wanted to be encouraging in that effort."

Garg's visit was part of a gathering aimed at addressing the issue of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education. A panel of representatives from the event's co-hosts, Google, EMC and Cubist Pharmaceuticals, added anecdotes and evidence of how corporations can impact STEM education by partnering with organizations like Citizen Schools and getting their employees involved.

"It's critically important that young people learn science, technology, engineering and math skills that the private sector demands," said panelist Michael Bonney, President and CEO of Cubist Pharmaceuticals. "This is an opportunity to share and learn about some of the best practices for providing students with the skills and experiences needed to succeed."

As part of our efforts to engage more professionals in leading hands-on STEM projects with students, Citizen Schools has convened leaders from businesses, education and nonprofit sectors in cities across the country to find ways to collaborate and provide more STEM education opportunities for students. Events have been held in Boston and Silicon Valley, Newark, and Charlotte.

Watch highlights of the event here.