When I was a kid, back in the Pleistocene era, many things were envisioned for our future that were more than a little exciting. Back in the early days of television we were promised a day would come when we would be able to watch whatever we wanted whenever we wanted. Dick Tracy comics promised telephones we could wear on our wrist. Food that would pop out of a machine piping hot and ready to eat was also “just around the corner”. And then there was that most enticing promise of all, the flying car. What young boy (or girl) does not dream about being able to fly? The Jetsons cartoon show on television promised a world where our personal cars would fly, allowing that dream to come true for everyone.

Well, we now have most of these things. I saw a commercial last week for a new wrist mounted telephone the size of a regular wrist watch. Computers have placed all manner of entertainment and content only a click of a button away at any time. And microwave technology together with vacuum packaging, has placed gourmet food within the reach of everyone, in their own homes (well, my wife would disagree on this one...).

But, until now, the elusive dream as yet unfulfilled, was that amazing flying car.

Well, if the advance notices are correct, the day when we can take to the skies in our own private cars is closer than ever, and perhaps as close as the year after next!

Founded in Massachusetts by a group of MIT trained engineers, a company called Terrafugia has already built a car (The Transition) with folding wings that a pilot can drive home from the airport and park in his garage. But that isn't the real deal, is it? What we want is a car that the average person can drive, and take off and land anywhere, right?

Well hold onto your hat!

Terrafugia is now working on an advanced model called the TF-X, a four person, fixed wing aircraft with electrical assist for takeoff and landing. And, as envisioned, you will not need a pilots license as the car will fly itself.

You would simply program the destination and the car would do the rest, tying into a new international computer network that would integrate control and monitoring functions for all aircraft. Stuck in traffic? No problem. Tell the car to take you home and small propellors would deploy in a vertical position lifting you out of traffic and into the air, where a larger prop would send you on your way. I want one!

Technology like this is the product of the age in which we live. It is a time when breakthroughs in not only knowledge but also the pace at which breakthroughs occur is accelerating daily. The future is here.

To keep up with all this technology our kids need training in science. They need to understand engineering. They need math skills. That is why all across the nation there is a push in education to emphasize four areas. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Or, simply, STEM.

A push to increase awareness of STEM education is sweeping across the country faster than the TF-X could lift you out of traffic on the Santa Monica freeway.

And that is why Mobile Ed developed The STEM Museum, our newest school assembly program, designed to provide schools with an easy and affordable way to augment the educational experience of children in these four fields through exciting, direct hands on activities. Getting kids in tune with these areas and wanting to learn more is our goal and we are bringing it to schools across the country this year. Our hope is to inspire the kids of today to become the leaders of tomorrow in science, technology, engineering and math.

And then, the dreams of today may not need to wait quite so long to realize as did the dream of a flying car.

Personally, I want that little puppy right now.

Oh, just one drawback. Before you start running off to plunk down your down payment on the TF-X, take this into consideration. The starting price is expected to be well over $200,000. I wonder if that includes leather seats?

Geoff Beauchamp is the Regional Manager of Mobile Ed Productions where "Education Through Entertainment" has been the guiding principal since 1979. Mobile Ed Productions produces and markets quality educational school assembly programs in the fieldsof science, history, writing, astronomy, natural science, mathematics, character issues and a variety of other curriculum based areas. In addition, Mr. Beauchamp is a professional actor with 30 years of experience in film, television and on stage. He created and still performs occasionally in Mobile Ed's THE LIVING LINCOLN. He also spent ten years coordinating assembly programs for the elementary school where his own children went to school.