This book would not have been possible without many people and organizations that take the issues I have written about so seriously. It is no exaggeration to say that without them, this country would be far less than what it is today. Each comes from diverse backgrounds and experiences, but they share a common belief about what our country needs to restore her greatness - greatness they have seen before, and greatness they want desperately to see again.
First, I would like to say “thank you” to Richard Blais, the late Richard Liebich, and the Charitable Leadership Foundation for their vision to develop and launch Project Lead The Way (PLTW).
PLTW’s board of directors, past and present, is comprised of deeply committed, mission-driven leaders. For their extraordinary leadership and support, I want to thank our current directors Frank Zaffino, James Rahn, Dr. Mohammad Qayoumi, Kurt Liebich, Eunice Heath, Chris Bradshaw, John Calabrese and most recent former board members Dr. Hermann Viets, Marcia Peterson, and Dr. Joe Astroth.
Thank you, too, to PLTW’s team of amazing educators and leaders. I admire their tireless work ethic and unwavering commitment to deliver a world-class education to all students in America. In particular, thank you to Kiley Adolph, Dr. Rex Bolinger, Jennifer Cahill, Dr. Andrea Croslyn, Jonathan Dilley, David Dimmett, Dorothy Gorman, Dr. Anne Jones, Carol Killworth, Cathy Lund, Valarie Osinski, and John Visconti.
And also to our great business and corporate partners, state leaders, university affiliates, and master teachers for their work throughout the country to promote PLTW, help train school personnel, and support thousands of PLTW teachers and students. Thank you to our thousands of dedicated teachers and school administrators who have embraced PLTW and are making it available to their students, they—like all great teacher and school administrators—do the second most important job in our country, after parents.
A special thanks goes to Bob and Pat Kern who want nothing more than to ignite curiosity in each child and ensure children get the education they deserve, and by extension, that America has the skilled workforce necessary to remain the greatest country in the world.
Thanks also to my great friend Seth Leibsohn for his tremendous support throughout the process of writing this book. He is one of the smartest individuals I know—and I, like many others, have a deep respect for Seth and his passion for education and our country.
Thank you to Christian Pinkston and the team at the Pinkston Group for their expert guidance in the publication of this book, and to Megan Trank and the team at Beaufort Books for their support.
Thank you to former U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. William J. Bennett for his friendship and wisdom.
Finally: My wife Jill, and sons Josh, Ryan, Drew, and Riley inspire me every day. I thank them for their unconditional support and love, and for allowing me to do this important work.