Being a leader isn't something that comes naturally, it takes practice. It is one thing that I could not be more thankful for. This program has helped me develop as a person and foster my love for creative technology, and I thank it whole-heartedly for that. 
Despite the current economic downturn, the underlying dynamics of the Connecticut economy indicate that a skilled technology workforce is still a major need of Connecticut employers. Recent surveys indicate the demand for employees in many STEM-related fields, particularly in New England, due to a workforce nearing retirement age. Student demographics in New England also indicate a significantly declining pool of students entering and graduating from STEM-related college programs, and existing strategies for engaging students in STEM education are inadequate to meet the growing clamor for high skilled workers. Therefore, the Academy model seeks to support STEM education with engaging content, robust online curricula, and an exciting public competition/exhibition through a Pathway that provides educational continuity. This tandem effort—Academy, Pathway, and Exposition—enhances and supports STEM education, particularly for underrepresented students.
In the last ten years we have seen the maturation of EDUCATION CONNECTION's Center for 21st Century Skills curriculum model. This model carefully integrates lessons learned as the curricula is crafted, along with synergistic partnerships and a significant focus on technology integration. From modest beginnings, a substantive STEM-based curriculum model has emerged from summer and afterschool programs. This has been accomplished by dedicated staff members who have stayed abreast of trends in technology and leveraged it to meet the growing need for engaging STEM-based education.
EDUCATION CONNECTION's Center for 21st Century Skills model has now become the primary STEM curricula for Connecticut Career Choices, a legislatively mandated STEM workforce initiative. Connecticut's Office of Workforce Competitiveness (OWC) validated these efforts through the creation of an annual funding stream, beginning in 2001. These efforts have also resonated with Connecticut education stakeholders and are fueling growing demand from administrators and educators for these Academy programs. Administrators and educators recognize the value of hybrid learning, thematic challenges, the academic rigor of STEM education, and the important dynamics created by interdistrict students working in teams to solve real-world problems.
The Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences is the natural evolution of EDUCATION CONNECTION's Center for 21st Century Skills curriculum model. The Academy program builds on the discipline-specific courses developed for EDUCATION CONNECTION's Advanced Technology Education (ATE) Pathways program to create a compelling 21st century STEM education curriculum sequence. Discipline-specific, higher-level courses will offer articulation credit into the Connecticut College of Technology program as per EDUCATION CONNECTION's ATE Pathways agreement.
All Academy courses are designed for use in a hybrid learning environment with online tools and resources supporting students and teachers in participating high school classrooms. Connecticut college faculty and STEM professionals from the Hartford Metro Alliance, Connecticut Digital Media Network, and IBM Corporation interact with students and teachers through experiential learning activities both online and face-to-face. The Connecticut Student Innovation Exposition is a required program assessment element for all Academy participants.
The Academy program is a dynamic and exemplary model for 21st-century-focused teaching and learning that results in preparing students to be knowledgeable participants in our ever-changing technological society. The Academy program aims to engage more students, especially underrepresented students, earlier in a STEM pathway to ensure their successful transition from middle school to secondary education and eventually into a Connecticut college STEM program of study.