West Point STEM Program Advances Sustainable Development Goals Through Youth Education
Fostering Quality Education and Lifelong Learning (SDG 4)
The West Point Summer STEM Program exemplifies a commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) by providing an exclusive, hands-on workshop for middle and high school students. The initiative aims to increase proficiency in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), directly contributing to the development of relevant skills for future employment and entrepreneurship as outlined in SDG Target 4.4.
- Offers an immersive, weeklong STEM experience at the West Point Military Academy.
- Focuses on increasing student interest in pursuing STEM-related academic and career paths.
- Provides inclusive and equitable quality educational opportunities to a select group of students from across the nation.
Promoting Equality and Inclusivity (SDG 5 & SDG 10)
The program’s selection of 120 students nationwide, including three from the Salish School of Spokane, underscores a dedication to Reducing Inequalities (SDG 10) and promoting Gender Equality (SDG 5). By ensuring access for students from indigenous communities (SDG Target 4.5) and fostering the participation of young women in STEM, the initiative actively works to eliminate disparities in educational and career opportunities.
The selected students from the Salish School of Spokane were:
- Aryah Tofsrud
- Isabella Horn
- Seneca Wiley-Camacho
Building a Foundation for Sustainable Growth and Innovation (SDG 8, SDG 9 & SDG 17)
The tangible outcomes of the program align with goals for Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8) and Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9). The experience has reportedly solidified students’ aspirations, with participant Isabella Horn expressing increased interest in higher education and Seneca Wiley-Camacho developing a deeper interest in civil engineering—a field critical for building resilient infrastructure. This partnership between a national institution and local schools serves as a model for achieving goals through collaboration (SDG 17).
- Increased student motivation for pursuing higher education.
- Cultivated specific career interests in critical infrastructure fields like civil engineering.
- Strengthened partnerships between educational institutions to achieve shared development goals.
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 4: Quality Education
- The article focuses on an exclusive educational program, the West Point Summer STEM Program, designed for middle and high school students. The program’s goal is to provide a “hands-on STEM workshop” and “increase interest in STEM fields,” which directly relates to providing quality, specialized education.
SDG 5: Gender Equality
- The article highlights the participation of female students, Isabella Horn and Aryah Tofsrud, in a STEM program. Promoting and ensuring the participation of girls and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics is a key aspect of achieving gender equality, particularly in fields where they have been historically underrepresented.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- The students mentioned are from the “Salish School of Spokane,” which implies they are from an indigenous community. Their selection for a competitive, nationwide program demonstrates an effort to provide opportunities and promote the inclusion of students from indigenous backgrounds, thereby addressing inequalities in access to quality educational experiences.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
SDG 4: Quality Education
- Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. The article states the program’s goal is to “encourage students to pursue STEM related classes and careers,” and one student developed a “deeper interest in civil engineering,” which directly aligns with developing relevant technical skills for future employment.
- Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations. The participation of students from the Salish School in this exclusive program is a direct example of ensuring access for indigenous peoples to specialized vocational and pre-tertiary training.
SDG 5: Gender Equality
- Target 5.b: Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women. By participating in a high-level STEM program, the female students (Isabella and Aryah) are being empowered through education in technology and science, which is a crucial step toward greater representation and influence in these fields.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. The article highlights that students from the Salish School were “three of the 120 students picked nationwide,” which shows the active inclusion of students of a specific ethnicity (indigenous) in a prestigious national opportunity.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Number of students from specific groups participating in specialized education programs: The article states that “three students from the Salish School of Spokane” were among the “120 students picked nationwide.” This provides a quantifiable measure of inclusion for indigenous students (Target 10.2) and youth in specialized training (Target 4.4).
- Proportion of female participants in STEM programs: The article explicitly names two female students (Aryah Tofsrud, Isabella Horn) among the three mentioned, implying a focus on gender inclusion. The number or percentage of girls attending the camp would be a direct indicator for progress on gender equality in STEM education (Target 4.5 and 5.b).
- Change in educational and career aspirations: The article provides qualitative evidence of the program’s impact. It notes that “Isabella shares she is more interested in college and Seneca has a deeper interest in civil engineering.” This change in interest is a key indicator of the program’s success in encouraging students to pursue STEM fields and higher education (Target 4.4).
4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 4: Quality Education |
4.4: Increase the number of youth with relevant skills for employment.
4.5: Ensure equal access to education and vocational training for indigenous peoples. |
– Change in students’ interest in pursuing higher education (e.g., “more interested in college”). – Change in students’ interest in specific technical careers (e.g., “deeper interest in civil engineering”). – Number of students from indigenous schools participating in a national program (3 students from Salish School). |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | 5.b: Enhance the use of enabling technology to promote the empowerment of women. | – Number and proportion of female students participating in a competitive STEM program (at least two female students mentioned). |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | 10.2: Empower and promote the social and economic inclusion of all, irrespective of ethnicity. | – Number of students from an indigenous background selected for a nationwide program (3 students from the Salish School out of 120 nationwide). |
Source: khq.com
