Today we’d like to do a Shout Out to our friends at Time Warner here in Austin. Their generosity enabled us to receive more than $40,000 of in-kind public service announcements this year during our summer Call for Volunteer Classroom Coaches. Getting that kind of coverage at no charge is something for which all of us here are enormously grateful. Thanks for helping us fill Austin classrooms with coaches and mentors!

Speaking of Time Warner and classrooms, have you joined in their big initiative, Connect a Million Minds? This project is designed to connect hundreds of thousands of young people with after-school  opportunities that inspire them to develop interest, knowledge and skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math – STEM subjects.

I recently took the pledge (a non-binding commitment to help a young person stay excited about and engaged with STEM subjects) and typed in my niece’s zip code with my name. The Connect a Million Minds “Connectory” database lets me see what sort of activities are going on within an hour or so of her home. It gives us fun ideas of things we can go do together too.

She’s  a bright 14-year-old  Latina who is showing exceptional skills in Math and Science. What could be more exciting than to support that curiosity? She’s my future, and she’s your future too. The U.S. lags behind internationally in Science in Math and we need to focus time and energy, both personally and professionally, on closing that gap by guaranteeing the success of kids in school now.  Our Classroom Coaching programs and volunteers are helping, but what we all choose to do at home helps a lot too.

Thanks Time Warner. Here’s to Connect a Million Minds. See what you think about this video. Better yet, see what the young people you know think.