Navy Participates in STEM Event at Rio Grande Valley Campus
By Burrell Parmer, Navy Recruiting Command
EDINBURG, Texas, Oct. 6, 2017 - Sailors and support personnel of Navy Recruiting District San Antonio, Navy City Outreach Southwest Region and the Navy's diversity office participated Oct. 3 and 4 in Student Leadership Day and Latina Day during this week's observance of Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology Week on the campus of the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley.
The educational conference features events geared toward promoting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, education to people of all ages and backgrounds.
During two Student Leadership Day breakout sessions, Lt. Andrew Descrary of the Navy Civil Engineering Corps and Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Toth of Navy Recruiting Station McAllen -- an electrician's mate nuclear -- briefed and discussed the 15 military leadership traits.
"It's important for students to learn and understand leadership," said Descary, a native of Bakersfield, California. "It will instill those qualities that every leader needs to be successful, not just in the Navy, but abroad in the world."
Exposure to Different Environments
Monica Longoria, a teacher at Business, Education and Technology Academy High School, said she believes it is important for students attending the week's events to be exposed to different environments.
"I believe that giving students the opportunity to expand their knowledge in the areas of STEM is beneficial," she said. "Student Leadership Day helps reminds us that our students are potential leaders. The leadership characteristics briefed to the students by the sailors are those expected by any organization in the world."
