WHY STEM? In order to increase college and career readiness and student interest in STEM, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Defense Education Activity established a partnership in May 2013. This partnership will leverage the strengths of both organizations to advance STEM education in communities where DoDEA schools and USACE activities are co-located. This program is different from other programs because it is embedded in the classroom and tied to the curriculum. Conceptual understanding is built in and the program provides face-to-face, hands-on, and long-term interaction with teachers and students.