Henrico students aim to make STEM opportunities more accessible to all kids; Wilder MS unveils new portrait of former governor
Happy almost summertime!!
A student-led program in Henrico, STEM-Z, is aiming to make STEM education more accessible to all kids in the Richmond and Henrico regions. Douglas L. Wilder Middle School unveiled a new portrait of the former governor, with remarks on the importance of his legacy as the first Black governor in the nation.
STEM 'hot spots' in Henrico
Jobs in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) field are in demand and high-paying, with average salaries well over $100,000 a year.
But who has access to these types of jobs?
Despite some notable progress, the STEM field remains largely white and male dominated, with more than two-thirds of the workforce still composed of men and about two-thirds made up by white workers.
'Greatness can begin anywhere'
Students and staff of L. Douglas Wilder Middle School last week celebrated a new portrait of the school’s namesake that will hang front and center in the building’s auditorium.
Wilder, a Richmond native who served as governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1994, was the first Black governor elected in the United States. He also served as Virginia’s lieutenant governor, becoming the first Black man elected to statewide office in the Commonwealth, and served as the City of Richmond’s first directly-elected mayor.
Lasting legacy of Virginia Randolph
Almost no one would travel half the country just to see a 98-year-old cake – Sharon McMahon included. But getting to do so when she arrived at the Virginia Randolph Museum in Glen Allen April 25 was a highlight of the Minnesota historian and author’s recent trip to Virginia.
McMahon was in the area as part of a tour to promote her book, New York Times No. 1 best-seller The Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, from the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement, which spotlights Randolph and 11 other difference-makers who helped change American history despite having little inherent power or clout.
Photos of the week
Glen Lea Elementary students got to show off their artistic talents (@glenleaes)
Baker Elementary students went on a nature walk for Earth Day (@baker_tigers)
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