Governor Bob McDonnell
Commonwealth of Virginia
Comments during a recent visit with TJ students
In June, 2010, I had the privilege of meeting with a small group of Thomas
Jefferson High School (TJ) students. All of them had received recognition
for outstanding achievements in various national and regional math and
science competitions. I was not the least bit surprised at how obviously
bright they all were (TJ is the #1 ranked high school in the U.S.), but I was
struck by how articulate, poised, and well-informed these students came
across. Their passion and eagerness to learn was so evident and contagious.
Placing more students in the critical fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is essential to our nation's future. I believe that in the Commonwealth of Virginia, we must do all we can to encourage students like those at TJ, by providing them with the resources and tools they need to learn and grow into future leaders in science and technology.
The global pace of technological change has become lightning fast, and it is up to us as civic leaders to pursue forward-thinking approaches to ensure that all our students are able to obtain a first-rate college education that will enable us to compete in the 21st-century global economy.
That's why schools like TJ are so very essential -- not only for our children, and for their futures, but for all of us, our economy, and the quality of life in the Commonwealth. The continued excellence of schools such as Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology will help Virginia become an international leader in higher education and a location where leading companies come to do business.