Nov. 23, 2009 (United Press International) -- U.S. President Obama's push to improve math and science education for children has some heavy hitters for the younger set: Elmo and Big Bird.
Besides two of the best-known denizens of Sesame Street, joining Obama Monday as he discusses initiatives designed to boost science, technology, engineering and math will be video game programmers and thousands of scientists, The New York Times said.
After Obama's remarks, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Office of Science and Technology Policy Director John Holdren will conduct a live online chat to discuss the initiatives on www.WhiteHouse.gov/live, the White House said.
Obama's campaign, Educate to Innovate, seeks to enlist companies and non-profit groups to spend money, time and volunteer effort to encourage students to pursue science, technology, engineering and math outside of the classroom, officials said. The campaign is geared primarily to middle- and high-school students.
The White House also recruited Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, and corporate executives such as Craig Barrett, a former Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) chairman, and Ursula Burns, chief executive officer of Xerox. (NYSE:XRX)
In April, Obama pledged a "renewed commitment" to the United States "from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math over the next decade," the Times said.
