Have you heard of STEM? No, we’re not talking about the central, woody stalk of a plant. It’s an acronym. It stands for “Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.”

The people who developed the various STEM initiatives believe that these are the areas where the US needs to focus in order to remain relevant in today’s world economy, for issues ranging from education to immigration.

The best engineers have to be able to creatively problem-solve. The most innovative scientists need sparks of inspiration to lead them down the less-traveled path. Have you ever seen a hexaflexagon? Did you ever doodle in math class? Watch the video above (or any of the others by Vi Hart) for a great reminder of the ways creativity and math are intrinsically linked.

The STEM initiative is great—it’s also missing a piece. Let’s help put arts and culture right there in the middle. Let’s turn STEM to STEAM, and then watch student achievement gain momentum like an old-school locomotive.