A joint project at Bettendorf and Pleasant Valley High Schools will help Iowa students learn about careers before they graduate. This week, the Iowa Governor's Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Advisory Council announced the winners of a competition among school STEM centers.
Angel Mendez from the council says Bettendorf and Pleasant Valley's Centers for Advanced Professional Studies proposal, is one of five winners. It's designed to get students into the workplace.
The school programs were selected for the professional studies initiative after sending in detailed proposals about local business and industry, and skills they need from employees.
Mendez says the STEM Council modeled the program after a similar competition in Kansas. One goal is to show students how what they're learning at school can help them earn a paycheck later.