Micron's Headquarters Becomes a Laboratory for Teachers Learning to "Engineer the Future"
23 Idaho and Utah teachers will glean real world science and math curriculum content for their classrooms
Boise, Idaho
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Friday, March 04, 2005
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On Saturday, March 5, 2005, teachers from across the Treasure Valley, around the state and as far away as Utah will gather for the second day of Micron’s “Engineering the Future:” A Micron Experience workshop. The workshop’s goal is to use Micron’s campus, workstations, products, programs and more as a valuable learning laboratory.
According to Alecia Baker, Micron’s K-12 Program Manager, teachers will be provided with hand-on activities that bring work science and math applications to life in a way that they can then incorporate into their classroom curriculum.
“Micron connects teachers with its high-tech work environment to facilitate on-going partnerships with engineers, scientists, chemists, mathematicians and other professionals and we then provide the opportunity and funding for these teachers to complete lessons for their students using the activities in which they have participated,” Baker said.
Micron places a high priority on improving education, especially at the K-12 level. Since 1995, through Micron’s Boise-based K-12 program, the lives of more than 160,000 students, parents, teachers and others involved in education have been touched. In 2004, nearly four percent of all new hires at Micron reported participation in a Micron K-12 event that influenced them to apply for work at the company. In addition, since its formation in 1999, the Micron Foundation has committed support to Idaho’s education and local communities with more than $8.5M in grants and more than $2M of in-kind support in the same time period, along with a steady stream of community volunteers.
“Micron is providing avenues for students to prepare for and envision themselves in the jobs of the future,” Baker explained. “One of the best ways to start the preparation is by investing in our Chemistry, Math, Physics and Physical Science teachers.”
From 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, the physical science teachers will participate in “All Wet,” a water purification and deionization learning activity, beginning at the river and concluding inside Micron’s plant. As a semiconductor manufacturer, Micron is a pioneer in water recycling and currently recycles a large portion of water used each day for production at its Boise, Idaho facility. Micron’s reclamation system is a model for change in the water use habits of the semiconductor manufacturing industry and earned Micron an award from the Pacific Northwest Section of the American Water Works Association for Innovation and Commitment to Water Conservation.
Editors’ note: Interested journalists and photographers should contact Trudy Sullivan, 208-368-496, before 3 p.m. on Friday, March 4, to RSVP for the “All Wet” learning experience and to ensure transportation and access to Micron’s campus and the equipment located on the river.