Afternoon Announcements: May 25, 2012

It’s Friday. You made it. Let us be the first to congratulate you! Although this Memorial Day Weekend will likely be filled with cookouts, bumper-to-bumper traffic, and celebrating the start of summer, be sure to take the time to think about all of the men and women in the armed forces who have served or continue to serve our country both at home and abroad and especially those who gave their lives in the line of duty. With that said, there are just a few afternoon announcements to share with you today.

First, The Washington Post looks at high schools that are promoting a college-style learning environment. Whether it’s “fewer scheduled hours of class, more independent work and less hand-holding from instructors,” these high schools are trying to prepare their students for postsecondary education and make the often-difficult academic transition from K-12 to higher education a little bit easier.

Next, The Associated Press reports that more high school students are enrolling in math and science classes according to the Department of Education’s recently released Condition of Education: 2012. This is good news because the STEM fields are in demand in the job market, and the skills needed to succeed in them are key to competing in the 21st century global economy.