As students at all grade levels prepare to showcase their STEM prowess at a competition Jan 31 and Feb. 1 at the North Hall Community Center, state officials are doing their part to induce more students to choose a field of study in science, technology, engineering and math. This week, the Georgia Student Finance Commission announced a plan that will boost the grade point average by 0.5 to HOPE scholarship students pursuing rigorous STEM courses typically offered during the first two years of college. The initiative comes by way of state legislation approved last year to incentivize students to choose science, technology, engineering and math courses.