| Junior Engineering Technical Society | |
| Size: | 200 px |
| Formation: | 1950[1] |
| Type: | Non-profit organization |
| Headquarters: | Alexandria, Virginia |
| Location: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Leader Title: | President |
| Leader Name: | Peter Carrato, Ph.D., P.E |
| Website: | http://www.jets.org/ |
Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) was a national non-profit organization based in the United States dedicated to promoting interest in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology among high-school students.[2] In 2011 the Test of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science (TEAMS) and Unite programs of JETS were acquired by the Technology Student Association[3]
The Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) was established in 1950 with the mission to provide engineering education at the high school level in the same way that 4-H was designed for agriculture. The organization was formerly known as Better Engineering Talent for Schools (BETS) before its current name was adopted.[4]
A key JETS activity was promulgating a standardized test to evaluate engineering aptitude in high school students, known as the "National Engineering Aptitude Search". A student's score could be a credential for admission application to an engineering college. The tests were administered by local JETS-affiliated engineering societies, who might also present awards to the top students.
See main article: TEAMS (academic competition). JETS hosts their annual TEAMS competition. TEAMS is an annual theme-based competition for students in grades 9-12, aimed at giving them the opportunity to discover engineering and how they can make a difference in the world.[5] This competition is divided into two parts. The first part, lasting an hour and a half, has 80 multiple-choice questions. Each group of ten questions is related to a specific problem relating to the overall theme. The second part consists of eight open-ended tasks that are aimed at encouraging teamwork to develop the best answer. This competition is taken part by each participating school in a regional competition; the scores at that date determine the standings at the regional, state, and national levels. There are six school divisions, one home division, one group division, and two levels (9th/10th-grade level & 11th/12th-grade level).
JETS, in conjunction with Power Engineering magazine, has annually awarded a $5,000 scholarship to at least one student to pursue a college engineering education since 2007.[6]
In 2006, JETS was chosen as one of the "Best Practice" STEM education program for secondary schools by Bayer Corporation.[7] [8]
Each month, JETS publishes a free e-newsletter available through their website.
JETS also publishes Explore, a magazine designed to inform students about potential engineering careers.