Today's investment in math and science equals tomorrow's jobs

I truly believe that the most important obligation of any parent is to create an enabling environment for children to reach every goal they are willing to work hard enough to achieve. My daily prayer is that my two children won't have to shelf their heart's desires because I couldn't nurture their interests with the necessary time and resources. In a 2010 CNN Money report, 15 of the top 20 careers with the most job growth require training in math or science. We can position our county to be a regional leader by dedicating more resources to prepare our children for the careers of tomorrow.

The 2010 Maryland State Assessment (MSA) reflects that the percentage of Prince George's County eighth-graders reaching proficiency in math fell 4 percent since 2009, from 45 percent to 41 percent. And though we've made progress in science, improving from 40 percent to 44 percent, we remain 24 percent below the Maryland state average. As a state, Maryland will become ground zero for the next generation of science and technology jobs. Will Prince George's County be positioned to compete with the rest of the state and region?