You will hear the acronym STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) a lot whenever the discussion turns to improving education in the United States, and there is a good reason. Those disciplines are the cornerstones of the jobs that will keep America competitive in the near and distant future, and we have to get our students ready for that future now.

It's not exactly breaking news that U.S. students have lagged in many surveys that measure academic performance around the globe, with our children currently sitting about mid-pack in international comparisons of math and science performance. Other studies also paint a bleak picture with less than one-third of U.S. eighth graders showing proficiency in math and science, and reports showing that even some schools that are considered successful aren't keeping the pace in STEM subjects.

The paradox is that we live in a society where a lot of the careers that can be launched with a solid education in the STEM curriculum would seem to be appealing to the students who are failing to learn about them.

For example, many of the green jobs that would interest those with an environmental bent require studies in the life sciences, engineering, and math. Our technology addictions are fueled by the work of engineers and computer programmers who toiled for years to make advances that would have been magical a few decades ago simply everyday occurrences. Even the careers that young children often aspire to -- like veterinarians, doctors, nurses, and astronauts – will need them to transfer that enthusiasm into studies in STEM areas as they grow up.

So, how can we turn this tide and make STEM education more successful in the United States?

Sow STEM seeds early: Students who have exciting experiences in STEM subjects early are more likely to follow through. Eighth graders with an interest in STEM are three times more likely to pursue degrees in those careers later.

Show students why STEM careers matter: Underrepresented groups, like women and minorities and students from low-income areas, need to see others like them who are involved in STEM-related careers to spark their interest.

Explain that STEM education creates opportunity: More than 1 million additional graduates with STEM degrees will be needed to fill the growing number of jobs that require those skills.

President Obama has emphasized the need to improve STEM studies to improve global competitiveness, and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is exploring the formation of a new STEM service corps to improve educational outcomes in these critical subject areas. CNCS has a history of harnessing the nation's people power to solve difficult problems, and many CNCS programs and initiatives are providing services that are improving educational opportunity across the country. Here are a few examples:

• CalSERVES is operating an afterschool program with 123 AmeriCorps members and 450 volunteers that offers intensive small-group tutoring in STEM subjects.
• Citizen Schools, which works to expand the learning day for low-income middle schools around the nation, is connecting volunteer professionals with students to improve math studies and increase enthusiasm for STEM careers.
• Our VISTAs have been connecting students with STEM professionals through groups like Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum in Compton, CA, and the Greater Valdosta United Way and Boys and Girls Clubs in Georgia.

We need to take steps now to reverse the slide in STEM education and prepare our students for a more competitive future. Our success or failure will determine our country's future as a global economic power.

Imagine a child cooped up inside a stuffy apartment building on a beautiful, sunny day because there’s no safe place to play outside. She has only unhealthy processed and fast foods to eat. This image is far removed from the nostalgic picture of a childhood summer filled with fun family vacations and camps. But for too many children, it is a reality that directly affects how ready they will be to move ahead in the classroom come September.
 

Members of the group Game Changerz, also known as Sports Wives With Purpose, were in Washington recently, and we took the opportunity to ask them to talk about their favorite children’s books and the lessons they teach.
 

On Aug. 1, 13 teachers gathered at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for STEM Fest, a panel discussion highlighting effective practices in STEM-based service-learning. Convened by Youth Service America (YSA), STEM Fest celebrated the teachers' achievements in implementing YSA's STEMester of Service, a program that introduced extended service-learning to middle school students to learn science, technology, engineering, and math by addressing local environmental issues.
 

One of the major factors that contribute to children falling behind in reading is the learning loss that occurs during summer break. Low-income students, in particular, lose two to three months in reading achievement over the summer.
 

John Urbigkit has service in his blood. He has volunteered as an EMT medic, Boy Scout leader and even earned a Purple Heart for his service in the Korean War. But it is his role as a Senior Corps volunteer with the Southeast Wyoming Foster Grandparent Program that earned this community hero a distinguished honor that brought him to Washington, DC.
 

Today, I was thrilled to be with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan at Memorial Middle School in Orlando, FL to announce Together for Tomorrow, a new initiative to expand community engagement and citizen service to improve low-performing schools.
 

Today, too many young people in America are struggling. More than a million students drop out of high school each year and one in every three do not graduate on time. The problem is even more severe among African American and Latino youth, and those from low-income backgrounds.
 

The holidays are a time when the spirit of kindness and generosity abound. So what better time to recognize your school for its year-round commitment to community service?
 

Hispanic leaders in Colorado, like so many in the United States, are committed to addressing challenges and improving opportunities for their community. They want to work with the Federal government to understand policies, access information, leverage resources, and build collaboration that will help provide solutions to pressing concerns. In Denver, I saw this commitment first hand.
 

We've all seen them – in every color of the rainbow and spanning kindergarten through university, the ubiquitous bumper sticker: Proud Parent of an Honor Roll Student. Parents everywhere are eager to display their child's hard work to the world. But parents aren't the only ones who have an opportunity to display such a sticker.
 

Last week, the Corporation for National and Community Service joined the Department of Housing and Urban Development for an event called “Evidence of Success: Institutions of Higher Education Engaging Communities.” Together, the two agencies hosted a discussion on the role that institutions of higher education play in stimulating local economies.
 

When Joseph Aragon heads to school in the morning you won't find him toting a backpack stuffed with school supplies or carrying a lunchbox. Instead, this 64 year-old brings with him a lifetime of experience and knowledge to share with the students of Blanche Pope Elementary School on the Hawaiian Homestead land in Waimanalo.
 

My partners and I have started an off season youth football camp to better prepare the youth of our community in the fundamentals of the game and at the same time keep them occupied and off the streets.
 

I am currently serving my second AmeriCorps term with Youth Service Opportunities Project (YSOP) in Washington, DC. YSOP coordinates opportunities for youth to engage in meaningful service in Washington, DC and New York City.
 

I have taken the call of our President. I started an organization in my Community called ' Wheels for Education " . What we do is take students from the inner city of Philadelphia to College campuses.
 

Gary van der Wege, a member of the 2004 U.S. Paralympic Fencing Team, visited with the youth at the Boys & Girls Club of San Antonio on September 11th. Gary shared with the club his inspiring story of how he became a paralympian.
 

We have heard your engaging message across the Atlantic. Since President Obama and the First Lady have launched "United We Serve" in June, the students of the American School of Barcelona, Spain, from pre-school to high school, are responding enthusiastically to your call of service with volunteerism in our community to strengthen the world.
 

In 2005 I left a successful career in tv advertising to join the staff of A Child's Place of Charlotte, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping to erase the impact of homelessness on children and their education.
 

I am a mentor for the Y-FRIENDz Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program with YMCA Youth & Family Services in San Diego. For the past year and a half I have mentored a now 10-year-old girl who has both parents in and out of prison.
 

This halloween International Hand Foundation a non profit charity focusing on education would like introduce "Treat for Good", a halloween program that has kids reaching out for more than candy but for a life lesson in compassion for a child across the world.
 

It started with one woman’s belief that helping kids learn to read would make a difference. A flight attendant flying for one of the major airline carriers on 9/11, LeeAnn was prompted by the loss of friends and coworkers to examine her part in making the world a better place.
 

Twenty-five Foster Grandparent volunteers in Hamilton, Bradley and McMinn counties participated in an educational campaign to share basic character traits with students in their classrooms. 
 

Staff members from The Hitachi Foundation and Hitachi, Ltd. in Washington, DC spent the 9/11 Day of Service with Covenant House.
 

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began my internship at the Department of Education this summer. I was aware of the great work that the department was doing to improve the quality of education throughout the country but I curious to see what my role would be in this greater mission.
 

The Bronx Wash is a cement covered arroyo that is an uninviting eyesore in the Northwest Neighborhood in Tucson, Arizona. The goal of the Bronx Wash Mural Project is to encourage a sense of pride and ownership in the area, to reconnect the neighborhood and involve local residents in beautifying this shared space.
 

EducationWorks, which serves children and youth in urban neighborhoods, including Trenton in NJ, wanted to participate in a service event to recognize the new National Day of Service and Remembrance on 9/11/2009.
 

Usher helps youth use their creative talents to address problems in their communities.
 

A retail store in Los Angeles opens its doors to help children read.
 

Employees at more than 500 Verizon locations donated over half a million dollars worth of school supplies in just three weeks.