More than 40 years ago, school-age children were in awe of the first pictures of man's first steps on the moon -- a tremendous science and engineering feat that sent many students on to pursue studies that involved disciplines in the sciences. Today, however, there's a concern that students aren't taken with the same thirst for knowledge and technology. NY1's Adam Balkin filed the following report on a move undertaken Monday by President Barack Obama toward changing that mindset.

Hoping to regain the innovative spirit that made the U.S. the world power it is today, the White House is unveiling a new initiative, Educate to Innovate, aimed at connecting parents and their children to science, technology, engineering and math programs -- also known as STEM -- in their communities.

Some noted members of the scientific community who will head up this initiative include the first American woman in space, Sally Ride. Major corporations are also contributing to the effort, including NY1's own parent company, Time Warner Cable.

Time Warner Cable is donating $100 million over the next five years to the effort under its banner, "Connect a Million Minds", launched at events nationwide last week. That donation will include stories NY1 will cover highlighting STEM events, ads promoting the effort, and most notably a website, www.connectamillionminds.com that includes a Connectory -- a database compiled by the Coalition for Science After School, where parents and kids can find activities, museums and other learning centers in their neighborhoods.

Time Warner Cable executives say the fact that the company relies on, and will continue to rely on, employees with a strong background in science and technology is just one reason why investing so much money in Connect a Million Minds was pretty much a no-brainer.

"We are a technology business and everybody knows this, but our country is falling behind other countries in competitiveness because we're not training enough young people in these skills of math and science and technology," said Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt. "So our effort is about connecting young people with opportunities in their communities that they'll find fun and interesting to explore these science and technology subjects."

And as the president mentioned, the company´s educational endeavor has found a ready partner in DEKA CEO Dean Kamen whose not-for-profit organization FIRST -- For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology -- has hundreds of thousands of kids across the globe working together to solve problems in friendly competitions involving Legos right on up to robotics.

Kamen, the animated innovator and benefactor perhaps best known for the development of the Segway, says in order to make schoolwork seem less like work, we need to promote a culture that helps celebrate and publicize scientists and engineers the same way we do now with athletes and pop stars.

"They very rarely see the connection between the very difficult concepts that are being given in algebra or trigonometry and a useful purpose and until kids can see a connection between why they should work hard to learn something and what benefit it will be to them they're not going to put passion to it," Kamen said.

Time Warner Cable is also building an alliance with the PopTech Community -- a renowned unique innovation network designed to explore how to take classroom lessons and apply them toward helping the entire planet.

"PopTech got started as a place to look at the social impact of technologies not so much about the gadgets but more about what they mean for us -- medicine and health and energy and space travel what these technologies mean for how we're going to address some of the most pressing problems on earth," said Andrew Zolli of PopTech.

To learn more about how best to get a child in your life more enthusiastic about helping to solve those problems in fun and interesting ways through science and technology, visit www.connectamillionminds.com.