At EiE, we believe that one of the most powerful ways you can help kids envision themselves as engineers is to present them with role models that they can identify with. According to the National Science Foundation, in 2015, Hispanic engineers made up just 7% of the engineering workforce. Introducing young learners to diverse STEM leaders before stereotypes about “who can be an engineer” take hold can help level the playing field and inspire them to discover their inner engineer. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re spotlighting three Hispanic engineers who broke barriers and used their knowledge of math and science to solve problems and change our world.

Back to school time is upon us! Whether you're brand new to STEM or a seasoned engineering educator, it's the perfect time to reflect on your goals for the upcoming year and think about how to help a new group of learners discover their STEM identity. We've compiled a few resources that will help you with everything from syllabus planning to storage and organization, so you can start the year off right.

Engineering Adventures, our flexible engineering curriculum for grades 3-5, helps kids learn and practice 21st century skills  as they collaborate, communicate, solve problems, and share their solutions with their peers while embarking on the Engineering Design Process. Our newest unit, In Good Hands: Engineering Space Gloves, challenges learners to engineer gear for NASA astronauts!

To develop the 21st century skills all learners need to succeed in school and life, we must foster digital literacy and computational thinking skills. That’s why we’re expanding students’ STEM knowledge with brand new computer science units, designed to integrate with existing Engineering is Elementary units. To ensure that these units will work for all learners, we’re seeking elementary educators who are interested in pilot testing them in their own classrooms. In exchange for your feedback, materials and a stipend will be provided.

According to EdWeek, STEM jobs are predicted to grow at a faster rate between 2014 and 2024 than jobs overall. With these stats, districts need STEM curricula that unlock important 21st century skills and open doors to a world of possibilities for their students. Engineering provides opportunities for schools and districts to do just that.

With sixty-five percent of scientists and graduate students surveyed reporting their interest in science began before middle school (it always existed or began in elementary school), it’s becoming more and more crucial to start engineering instruction early. Schools need to get kids into the engineering pipeline when they’re young, before it becomes an afterthought.