Senator Merkley Announces State of the Union Guest

Statement

Today, Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley announced his guest for the 2015 State of the Union speech, Umatilla School District Superintendent Heidi Sipe. Several years ago, Merkley and Sipe partnered together to help turn Umatilla's robotics program from an idea to a reality. Since its inception in 2012, the program has grown enormously, from nine members to 42, and the team has won numerous awards, including qualifying for and competing in the world championships in 2013 and 2014.

"Umatilla's robotics team is a home-grown Oregon success story to be incredibly proud of, and I'm excited to honor Umatilla's success by bringing Superintendent Heidi Sipe to the State of the Union this year," said Merkley. "One of the biggest challenges our country faces today is how to ensure that our kids are getting a strong STEM education that will prepare them for the global economy and help keep good, middle-class jobs here in the United States. The hard work that Heidi, her students, and so many community members in Umatilla have put into building this program is bringing home huge returns. Getting our students engaged in STEM projects and providing them with valuable hands-on experience is exactly what we should be doing, and exactly what this program provides. I'm thrilled that she'll be here in the Capitol as the President lays out his vision to take on these and many other challenges."

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