The STEM Initiative was created in the 1950s after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite. Americans were surprised by the Soviet's technological advancement and demanded changes to the education system to focus more on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The STEM Initiative aims to promote these fields through scholarships and teaching opportunities to counter Soviet advances and remain competitive globally. It remains active today through organizations like the STEM Education Coalition.

1. STEM Initiative
• In 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik
• This scared Americans because the Eisenhower
administration had always been telling the
American people that the Soviets were too
dumb to make anything like ICBMs.
• Americans looked at their education system and
asked why have we not surpassed the Soviets?
• Americans demanded that something needed to
be done and so the STEM Initiative was created.

2. STEM Initiative
• The Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics was created to counter the
Soviet advancements in technology and is
still in action today.
• The STEM Education Coalition represents
all sectors of the technological workforce –
from knowledge workers, to educators, to
scientists, engineers, and technicians.

3. The STEM Initiative and You
• Colleges still provide scholarships for many
students who show an interest in one of
these fields of study
• They also provide scholarships for those
who want to teach one of these fields
–This includes College, High School, and
even Middle School teachers
• S.T.E.M. Opportunities

4. In the 1950s, the American public was given false
information about how advanced the Soviets
were when it came to technology. The
government did this so as to not cause a panic.
They began to emphasize math and science in
school so they could attempt to catch up to the
Soviets.
Was it right for the government to keep this
information hidden? Can the American people
handle this sort of information? How does it
make you feel that the government is still
pushing these areas of study onto students in
high schools today?