FALLS CHURCH, Va., May 11, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Northrop Grumman Foundation announced today that it has awarded a $50,000 grant to Great Minds in STEM™'s (GMiS) nationally acclaimed Viva Technology™ program. This follows the very successful partnership that took place in 2011.
"Through this fast-paced, interactive program, students are inspired and they learn of the exciting and attainable career options in engineering and science," said Sandra Evers-Manly, president of the Northrop Grumman Foundation. "By working side-by-side with Viva Technology™ and Northrop Grumman volunteers, the young participants will learn and hear from great role models who are pursuing technical degrees or already working in technical careers."
The two Viva Technology™ programs slated for spring and fall 2012 will take place at Parkland Magnet Middle School in Rockville, Md., and Will Rogers Middle School in Lawndale, Calif., respectively. Northrop Grumman's Hispanic employee resource group, One Adelante, will coordinate the two Viva Technology™ programs with GMiS, on behalf of the Northrop Grumman Foundation.
Viva Technology™ is a GMiS education awareness program that stimulates interest and academic achievement in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and computer science by engaging students, their parents and teachers in hands-on activities to promote awareness of actual STEM careers and pathways to those careers. The Viva Technology™ program will allow current university students who are studying STEM-majors and Northrop Grumman professionals from technical fields to serve as near-peer role models for students participating in the program, as they compete for top honors and prizes.
This is the Foundation's second year partnering with GMiS, which has a long 23-year history of supporting STEM Education Awareness programs, having branched out from the Hispanic Engineers National Achievement Awards Conference a few years ago.
For more information about Viva Technology™ program and future programming, please visit http://www.greatmindsinstem.org/vivatechnology/
For more information about Great Minds in STEM™, please visit www.greatmindsinstem.org
The Northrop Grumman Foundation supports diverse and sustainable programs for students and teachers. These programs create innovative education experiences in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. For more information please visit www.northropgrumman.com/foundation.