Clifton Park, NY – Today, John Lock, CEO of Project Lead The Way released a statement in response to recently released data by the Lemelson-MIT Invention Index which finds among other things that:

• Two-thirds of students age 12-17 chose hands-on individual projects and hands-on group projects as the type of classroom-based educational methods they enjoy most -- highlighting the need for non-traditional learning regardless of the setting (in schools every day or after school programs).
• In the classroom, educators play a powerful role in exciting teens about STEM. More than half of students (55 percent) said they would be more interested in STEM simply by having teachers who enjoy the subjects they teach.
• Mentors play an important role too, as 43 percent of students said that role models in STEM fields would increase their interest in learning about these areas.

Lock stated, "What this data shows is that not only are students interested in innovation and STEM-fields, but there are things we can and should be doing as a nation to spur their interest in becoming the next generation of innovators. "The Obama Administration's 'Educate to Innovate' initiative is a smart and good start in that it encourages after school STEM activities and competitions for students. But without real hands-on, project-based learning happening in the classroom every single day, we are selling students short – as well as our country's economic future. "As a nation, we need to be doing more to provide students with hands-on learning in the classroom. We need to provide teachers with the training, tools, and resources they need to challenge students to solve problems and think critically. And finally, there are thousands of businesses that are eager to offer educators their employees as mentors during the day and in the classroom who can help attract more students to STEM-related careers. "This is exactly what Project Lead The Way’s leading STEM education program does during the school day for over 300,000 students at over 3,500 schools for hundreds of hours – and this is where our leaders need to focus their efforts next if we truly want to ‘Educate to Innovate’ American students." For more information on the 2010 Lemelson-Mit Invention Index visit http://web.mit.edu/invent/n-pressreleases/n-press-10index.html About Project Lead The Way(PLTW) PLTW is a national, non-profit organization that provides rigorous and innovative science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education for middle schools and high schools. The PLTW comprehensive curriculum, which is collaboratively developed by PLTW teachers, university educators, engineering and biomedical professionals, and school administrators, emphasizes critical thinking, creativity, innovation, and real-world problem solving. The hands-on, project-based program engages students on multiple levels, exposes them to areas of study that they typically do not pursue, and provides them with a foundation and proven path to college and career success in STEM-related fields. PLTW began in 1998 in 12 high schools in upstate New York as a program designed to address the shortage of engineering students at the college level and has grown to a network of almost 3,400 middle and high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. More than 300,000 students are enrolled in PLTW courses. For more information, visit www.pltw.org. ###