But
the point is, is that there are tens of millions of talented young people out there who haven’t been similarly inspired, and we’ve got to figure out how do we make sure that everybody who’s got that same talent and inclination（倾向，爱好） , how do we give them the tools that they need so that they can succeed, so that they’re entering international science competitions, so that they’re up to snuff when it comes to math.
It is unacceptable to me, and I know it’s unacceptable to you, for us to be ranked on average as 21st or 25th -- not with so much at stake. We don't play for second place here in America. We certainly don't play for 25th.
So I’ve set this goal: We will move from the middle to the top in math and science education over the next decade. We are on our way to meeting this goal. (Applause.)
We’re doing it in a couple of ways. Under the leadership of my Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, we’ve launched an initiative called Race to the Top. And through Race to the Top, states are actively competing to produce innovative math and science programs, to raise standards, to turn around struggling schools, and to recruit（招募） and retain（保持，记住） more outstanding teachers.
And when budget cuts across America threatened the jobs of countless teachers, we fought some tough opposition to save the jobs of hundreds of thousands of educators and school workers, because nothing is more important than the investment we’re making in education. These are the folks in the classroom right now who are there because we refuse to accept a lesser education for our children, even when the economic times are tough.
But what I’ve said for a long time is, is that success is not going to be achieved just by government. It depends on teachers and parents and students, and the broader community supporting excellence. And that’s why last year I challenged scientists and business leaders to think of creative ways that we can engage young people in math and science.
And it was interesting, when I was talking to some folks -- how did you get interested in this? How did you first enter a robotics contest? And a lot of times it turned out that a young person had been inspired because they had seen some older kid involved in a robotics contest. Or there had been a teacher who had connected up with some international contest and it gave them a focal point for their energy and their attention and their interest.
This is a challenge that will determine our leadership in the 21st century global economy. So we need all hands on deck. Everybody has got to be involved. And I’m pleased that there are a lot of people out there who are answering the call. Companies, not-for-profits, they're coming together to replicate successful existing science programs.
We’ve got new public-private partnerships that are working to offer additional training to more than 100,000 current teachers, and to prepare more than 10,000 new teachers in the next five years. Businesses are working with non-profits to launch robotics competitions and other ways for kids to make things and learn things with their hands. And more than 100 leaders from some of the nation’s top companies have launched a new organization called Change the Equation to help us move to the top in math and science education.
As of this moment, more than $700 million has been committed by the private sector to this historic effort. And today, I want to announce two new public-private initiatives.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, also known as DARPA -- and I think those of you who are interested in science and technology know what an extraordinary role DARPA has played in all sorts of innovations that we now take for granted -- DARPA is launching a campaign to inspire young people in science and engineering, to help create what DARPA Director Regina Dugan has called a “renaissance（复兴，复活） of wonder.”
So, for example, teams of students in a thousand schools will be able to use advanced 3-D printers to manufacture unmanned vehicles and mobile robots for competitions.
In addition, leading CEOs are going to be part of a new online campaign to show young people the array of jobs that their companies offer scientists and engineers. And they ought to know. This is an interesting statistic, particularly at a time when young people are thinking about their careers: The most common educational background of CEOs in the S&P 500 companies -- all right -- the nation’s most successful, most powerful corporations -- the most common study of CEOs is not business, it’s not finance, it’s not economics –- it’s actually engineering. It’s engineering. So I want all the young people out there to think about that. Nothing can prepare you better for success than the education you’re receiving in math and science.
