Let's Call it What it is: STE_M

We have a lot of STE_M culture - science, technology, engineering and math.

STE_M culture allows us to be right or wrong. To hypothesize, test, and review.

It's possible to seemingly perfect these things.

It's possible to compete because these things are perfectly measurable.

Measure something that's 5 inches in diameter, use mathematical formulas, build a robot, determine how to make dirty water clean again.

It's HOT right now. STE_M has been hot for years. Go on LinkedIn, any organization that works with kids in schools and the vast majority of them will proudly display their STE_M banner.

There is something missing, though. That _ is an important part.

What's missing from STE_M? A. Arts.

STE_M isn't all of life. STEAM is much more than STE_M.

The A, the Arts, employs more because the Arts ask the question "Why?" and also try to answer it, too.

Einstein didn't become a scientist because he thought "This mathematical formula is my job."

He wanted to find out why - why time, why this, why that.

Mahler didn't write Symphony No. 2 to make an orchestra reach a certain decibel level. He wrote the symphony to express his ideas about life and destiny, simple faith, and what it means for love to illuminate life and death. Turns out, his ideas are extraordinarily passionate, which translates into a seriously, seriously loud piece of music.

And it's utterly moving.

You can't measure that.

You don't need safety goggles for that.

Maybe noise reduction ear plugs.

Nature isn't made up of beakers, laser tape measures, and mathematical formulas. We use those things to measure nature. Nature is made up of trees, waves, air, sunshine, rain, thunder and lightning, and animals.

You can measure a tree and a wave, but you can't measure nature's effect on you.

That is what makes you human.

That is art. It's all the parts.

STEAM.