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8/8/2019 Improving Students' STEM Skills
1/1
1601 South California Avenue, Palo Alto, California 94304650.543.4800 tel 650.543.4801 - fax
September9,2010
DearMemberofCongress:
AstheAmericaCOMPETESActawaitsreauthorizationonCapitolHill,wewantedtosharesome
thoughtsabouttheimportanceofmaintainingU.S.competitivenessbymakingstrong
investmentsinourchildrensScience,Technology,Engineering,Mathematics(STEM)education.
Wealsowantedtoletyouknowaboutanexcitingeventcelebratingwomenintechnology,
whichwilloccurthisweekendatourPaloAlto,Californiaheadquarters.
Facebookisayoung,fast-growingcompanywhosemissionistomaketheworldmoreopenand
connected.WeunderstandthattheUnitedStatesmustregainitseconomicandtechnological
leadinvestinginSTEMeducation--fromtheelementarytopost-graduatelevel--andthatthis
isvitaltoenergizingthe21stcenturyworkforce.
Withthatgoalinmind,wepartneredwithGirlsinTech,anorganizationfocusedonwomen's
achievementsintechnology,tohostourfirstjoint24-hourFacebookDeveloperGarageand
HackathononSaturday,Sept.11.DeveloperGaragesarejustliketheysound--placesto
explore,getgritty,andcollaborate.Thesegrassrootseventshappenaroundtheworldand
alwaysinvolvethelocaldevelopercommunity.Hackathonsallowdeveloperstocode
throughoutthenightandcomeupwithnewideasandconcepts.
TheshortageofstudentsenteringSTEMcareershaslongbeenrecognizedinWashington,
SiliconValley,andbeyond.AccordingtotheNationalCenterforEducationStatistics,U.S.highschoolseniorsrecentlytestedbelowtheinternationalaveragefor21countriesinmathand
scienceandfewerAmericanstudentsthaneveraregraduatingfromcollegewithmathand
sciencedegrees.Thesituationisnotmuchbetteratthehighereducationallevels.
Thesedisparitiesarestriking,especiallybecausethenationstechcommunityisconstantly
seekingtoimportadditionaltech-trainedemployeesbecauseourcountryisnotproducing
enoughofthem.Surely,wecanmakeAmericamorecompetitivebytrainingmoreAmerican
studentstofillthesedemandingandhigh-valuejobs.
ThisweekendsFacebookDeveloperGarageisonesmallwayofencouragingwomentobepartofthemorethanonemillioninnovatorsandentrepreneurswhohavebuilthundredsof
thousandsofapplicationsontheFacebookplatform.Forapeekinsidetheevent,watch
FacebookLiveat2p.m.PTonSaturdayforaspecialWomeninTechinfluencerspanel:
http://apps.facebook.com/facebooklive.
Sincerely,
TheFacebookTeam
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