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About TryEngineering Together™

As part of the global commitment to develop a robust STEM workforce for the future, Cricket Media, Inc. and IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization advancing technology for humanity, have partnered in 2017 to create TryEngineering Together. TryEngineering Together is a unique eMentorship platform giving companies a resource to mobilize their employees as volunteers to inspire and educate the next generation of engineers, scientists and technical professionals. The new platform leverages the deep STEM knowledge of IEEE and Cricket Media’s award-winning STEM content. TryEngineering Together is modeled on the CricketTogether eMentoring platform, giving companies and their employees meaningful volunteer opportunities to engage online with students and teachers in grades 3 to 5, particularly those in economically underserved communities. The program’s design is simple and designed to achieve results. Students and company volunteers are matched 1:1 in “eMentoring” relationships to create safe, powerful STEM learning experiences. Guided by a curriculum designed to be engaging, interactive and thought-provoking, students and their eMentors read short, timely articles related to STEM subjects and discuss hands-on activities that students are experiencing in class. Throughout the academic year, students and mentors communicate regularly online to ask questions, share ideas, investigate new developments and complete projects together. Because the interaction happens online, volunteers can participate anytime from anywhere.

The focus on delivering STEM mentorship in grades 3 to 5 is intentional. Once students reach fourth grade research shows one-third have lost an interest in science, and by eighth grade nearly 50 percent have lost interest or deemed it irrelevant to their education or career plans. Reaching and inspiring elementary school students is critical to building young people’s confidence and acumen in STEM.

About Cricket Media

Cricket Media, Inc. is a global education company providing award-winning content and safe and secure collaborative learning networks. Cricket Media serves millions of teachers, students and parents in over 200 countries and territories to fulfill its mission to engage, enlighten and educate children everywhere. Learn more at cricketmedia.com and visit Cricket Media’s social network pages.

About IEEE IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly-cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted “voice” for engineering, computing, and technology information around the globe. Learn more at www.ieee.org and visit IEEE’s social network pages.

“As the demand for diverse STEM workers continues to outpace supply, forward thinking companies realize that eMentoring will excite and prepare their next-generation workforce. We need to start early if we want to ensure that there is a diverse talent pool of scientists, engineers and technologists to drive the future of innovation. But we can’t do this alone. We need corporate support to reach all of the students who can benefit.”

Nina Zolt, founder of Cricket Media

“By giving students the opportunity to make a personal connection with someone who may be using the same fundamental STEM skills in their everyday work, eMentoring helps reinforce the message that what students are learning in the classroom today will also be of value in the workplaces of tomorrow. This kind of exposure and personal interaction can help plant the seeds that will launch future engineers and technology professionals.”

IEEE Fellow Dr. S. K. Ramesh, IEEE Educational Activities Board Vice President