Students at Millennium High School, in Goodyear, Arizona, hosted sailors for an afternoon, March 23.

Students enrolled in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, or STEM, program experienced interactive displays provided by the Navy's STEM Program and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1, San Diego.

During the visit, Rear Adm. Yancy B. Lindsey, commandant, Naval District Washington, D.C., spoke with representatives at Millennium High School about the importance of STEM to our national security.

In 2013, only 44 percent of U.S. high school graduates were ready for college-level math and only 36 percent were ready for college-level science, according to the National Science and Math Institute, an organization dedicated to improving student performance in the critical subjects of STEM.

According to David Wirth, who teaches physics at Millennium High School, the success of any STEM program depends on the inputs that come from the community.

"Every time we've brought technology into the classroom, the students can't get enough of it," Wirth said.

At the event, students were able to see how STEM education translates into real-world applications in the form of equipment and assets used by EODGRU 1. The students were able to drive remote control robots used in the field today for neutralizing unexploded ordnance.

Mel Arte, a teacher at Millennium High School, explains that once students are exposed to STEM programs they want more. "Some people don't enjoy math until they can visualize it in a practical application," Arte said.

The event was held as part of Phoenix Navy Week. Navy Weeks focus on a variety of outreach assets, equipment and personnel on a single city for a weeklong series of engagements with key influencers and organizations representing all sectors of the market. During a Navy Week, 50-75 outreach events are coordinated with corporate, civic, government, education, media, veterans, community service and diversity organizations in the city.