Stephen D. Bechtel, Jr. Awards JETS $150K Grant for Multi-Media Tool

Alexandria, VA  (February 1, 2006) — Stephen D. Bechtel, Jr., chairman emeritus of the Bechtel group of engineering and construction firms, has awarded JETS a $150,000 grant to develop a new multi-media tool for the promotion and education of its TEAMS program, while helping teachers and students prepare for the annual engineering competition.  "I support the TEAMS competition because it gives high school students a better understanding of the engineering profession,” said Mr. Bechtel.  “Through TEAMS, they see that today's engineers work creatively and collaboratively to apply their math and science skills, solve real-world problems, and improve the standard of living throughout the world.”

This multi-media tool will demonstrate the benefits of participating in TEAMS and include an electronic platform designed for students and teachers to use throughout the year to not only prepare for the competition, but also incorporate into practical classroom application.  “We hope that by providing students and teachers with this valuable resource, engineering concepts can be introduced in high school curriculum and foster excitement about the world of engineering and technology,” said Leann Yoder, JETS executive director. The tool is expected to include:

• A multi-disciplinary explanation of engineering based on real-world scenarios;
• An introduction of the TEAMS and JETS other programs;
• Sample competition problems that can be solved interactively;
• Guidelines and rules of the competition;
• Teacher/Coach Guide; and
• Site Coordinator (Host) Guide.

The project will commence in late winter with research on how best to interest a wide range of students—including girls and other historically underrepresented groups—in the competition and a career in engineering.  Production is scheduled for early spring with the goal of having the multi-media tool in place to recruit students, coaches, and additional host sites for the 2007 competition. Schools participating in TEAMS 2007 will receive a free copy of the new multi-media tool upon registration.

Additional support for this year’s TEAMS program has also been received from the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation in the amount of $50,000. The Foundation has been a generous supporter of the TEAMS program for many years. The Foundation’s commitment to America’s youth and the engineering community has made it possible for JETS to bring engineering and technology to life for thousands of students.

Each year more than 14,000 students nationwide participate in TEAMS and have fun while learning how engineering touches almost every aspect of their lives. Working in groups, students synthesize key concepts in math, science, and physics and apply them toward solving real-world engineering challenges while competing for local, state, and national awards.  

JETS is a non-profit education organization, established in 1950 to inform and excite young people about careers in engineering. JETS now serves more than 40,000 students and 10,000 teachers and holds programs on more than 150 college campuses each year. JETS participants are a diverse group—34 percent of program participants are female, and 22 percent are from groups traditionally underrepresented in engineering and technology. JETS is the core organization representing all disciplines and areas of engineering and serves as the critical link between pre-college students, teachers, parents and school counselors, and the engineering community—professional societies, corporations, and academic institutions.

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JETS (Junior Engineering Technical Society)
JETS is a non-profit education organization, established in 1950 to inform and excite young people about careers in engineering. JETS now serves more than 40,000 students and 10,000 teachers and holds programs on more than 150 college campuses each year. JETS participants are a diverse group—34 percent of program participants are female, and 22 percent are from groups traditionally underrepresented in engineering and technology. JETS is the core organization representing all disciplines and areas of engineering and serves as the critical link between pre-college students, teachers, parents and school counselors, and the engineering community—professional societies, corporations, and academic institutions. Visit www.jets.org.

NISH-Creating Employment For People With Severe Disabilities
Established in 1974, NISH (www.nish.org) is one of two national, nonprofit agencies designated by the Committee For Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled to support nonprofit agencies (NPAs) participating in the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program, which provides employment opportunities for people who are blind or have other severe disabilities by procuring Federal contracts for quality goods and services. Headquartered in Vienna, Va., NISH supports a network of more than 2,100 NPAs as well as Federal customers by providing the legislative and regulatory assistance, communications and public relations materials, information technology support, engineering and technical assistance, and extensive professional training needed for successful contract management.

Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program
Providing employment opportunities to more than 45,000 people through NISH and National Industries for the Blind, the JWOD Program is the largest single source of employment for people who are blind or have other severe disabilities in the United States. More than 600 participating nonprofit organizations employ these individuals and provide quality goods and services to the Federal Government at a fair price. The JWOD Program is administered by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (www.jwod.gov), an independent federal agency, with assistance from National Industries for the Blind (NIB, www.nib.org) and NISH-Creating Employment Opportunities for People with Severe Disabilities www.nish.org).