(StatePoint) Learning about saving energy and the environment will do more than just help kids save money as adults -- it can help them develop math and science skills, and foster a sense of responsibility. From which appliance to buy to save the most energy, to what temperature to set the thermostat, we are faced with choices that can impact us individually and have global ramifications. Experts say that it’s vital to provide the next generation with real world learning opportunities about how their individual and collective choices affect their lives and the whole planet.

(StatePoint) An epidemic is sweeping the nation. Girls are at a disadvantage when it comes to success in math and science, and the future does not look bright if parents don’t act now. In the next ten years, 80 percent of all jobs will require technical skills, according to Labor Department statistics. And jobs in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields are expected to grow twice as fast as all jobs. But currently, the ratio of boys to girls enrolled in STEM courses is a staggering six to one, putting girls at a severe disadvantage to excel in these fields in the future.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) authored the following op-ed in The Monitor: Long Border Entry Wait Times Hurt Our Economy U.S. Sen. John Cornyn The Monitor August 13, 2013 http://www.themonitor.com/opinion/columnists/article_9859b00e-042f-11e3-82c1-001a4bcf6878.html   A component of comprehensive immigration reform that too often is overlooked in Washington is the tremendous amount of legal trade flowing across our southern border.