It's great that the Journal Sentinel ran a front page article on the FIRST Wisconsin Robotics competition.
FIRST - For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology - is a nonprofit group that promotes careers in science, technology and engineering to young people.
Three local teams were recognized in the Journal's piece, Thomas More High School, Marquette University High School and a team composed of the three Waukesha public high schools.
But the local paper didn't even mention that students from 5 MPS high schools participated:
- Team 1268-Washington High School, MATC, GE Volunteers, Rockwell Automation and United Wtaer.
- Team 1675-Milwaukee Tech and Rufus King, Rockwell, GE, George Mosher, Milwaukee School of Engineering and Milwaukee Rotary
- Team 2547-Bay View and Genesis High School, NASA, Rockwell Automation, GE Volunteers, Hayes Bicycle, Nighthawk Radiology.
There are 3500 MPS students currently enrolled in pre-engineering programs, more than in any school district in the nation!
Yet, even Milwaukee's Mayor, Tom Barrett, failed to recognize the participation of MPS students and high schools in his official Proclamation supporting the FIRST competition.
According to MPS officials, their student "were crushed" by the lack of official recognition from the MJS and Mayor.
It's great that the MJS recognized that Milwaukee Vincent girl's basketball team won the state division 1 championship for the 2nd year in a row. And it is understandable that it reports on disturbances that break out at some of the high schools, even if such events are relatively infrequent.
But how about recognizing MPS's high achieving students and the faculty, staff and private and public sector partners who are helping these young people achieve?
