Baker-Polito Administration Announces Massachusetts Statewide STEM Week

WORCESTER — The Baker-Polito administration announced that the fourth annual STEM Week will take place this year Oct. 18-22 and will feature mainly in-person events, after being held virtually last year. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Secretary of Education James Peyser joined Worcester Polytechnic Institute President Laurie Leshin to make the announcement at WPI, where they also awarded nearly $300,000 in design challenge grants to seven educational organizations gearing up to provide STEM-education opportunities to students across the Commonwealth during the fourth annual statewide STEM Week.

“Our administration, through the leadership of Lt. Governor Polito and the STEM Advisory Council, has worked hard for the past several years to help kids across the state gain experience in STEM fields,” Gov. Charlie Baker said. “Especially now, with the most technology jobs per capita in the country, the demand for highly skilled people is a pressing issue, and STEM Week is an important way to highlight the many opportunities that exist in science, technology, engineering, and math.”

Polito, who co-chairs the STEM Advisory Council, added that “we remain committed to creating additional access and awareness to STEM careers for Massachusetts students across the state. STEM Week, and the design challenges offered by these organizations that we are proud to support, will help students gain more exposure and experience in STEM subjects and provide them with the opportunities they need to succeed.”

STEM Week is a collaborative effort between the Executive Office of Education; the STEM Advisory Council, which works to generate interest and support from the business community for STEM activities; and the Commonwealth’s nine regional STEM networks, which plan and coordinate activities with local schools, community leaders, and business partners.

“The STEM design challenges provide engaging and meaningful opportunities for students in all grades to gain knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and math by solving real-world problems that communities face,” Peyser said. “Our design challenge partners are a crucial part of making STEM Week meaningful and fun for our students.”