If the United States wants to compete in the 21st century, its curriculum in public schools must become relevant to its students.

That was the message from Williard Daggett, CEO of the International Center of Leadership in Education, to about 150 teachers, parents and students at Clayton Valley High on Wednesday night.

During his two-hour presentation, Daggett went over a variety of subjects, from the strenuous education system in Singapore to how American students' brains work differently today than they did a generation ago.

But his theme was simple.

"Relevance makes rigor possible," Daggett said.

Currently, schools and teachers have been too slow to adapt to the changing technological world and are not connecting with their students, according to Daggett.

Instead, Daggett told the audience, schools are trying to teach their students everything with standardized tests and massive amounts of homework, but are in reality teaching nothing.

"There's just too much stuff and they don't remember it," Daggett said. "The obedient student still does well, but we shouldn't confuse obedient students with m0tivated students."

To emphasize the power of relevancy, Daggett told a story about how his grandson Jack already understood percents and degrees when he was in second grade.

It wasn't that Jack was a math genius, he just loved football. His second grade teacher invited the high school football coach to the class and he gave the students some plays to learn. It didn't take long for Jack to know a receiver must run at a 90-degree angle on a post pattern.

Daggett added that all kids don't love football and it's difficult for teachers to meet all their students' needs. But one way to help solve this problem is looping, when one teacher goes with their students through elementary school.

At the high school level, Daggett says there's an even bigger relevancy disconnect. Students have become technology experts and the teachers haven't kept pace. Though the students know how to use technology, they lack the judgement to use it effectively.

"Our high schools have become museums," Daggett said.

But with relevance missing, the rigorous work, even if accomplished, doesn't prepare students for the world around them. Daggett said studies have shown new college graduates are good at following instructions but terrible at solving unexpected problems.

Frank Bruketta sat in the front row during Daggett's presentation and has been a math teacher at Clayton Valley for 10 years.

"Things are changing so fast it's difficult to tie in the curriculum to what's going on in the real-world," Bruketta said. "The text books aren't keeping up."

Arlene DelBene works at Crossroads High and is a parent to a Clayton Valley senior.

"(The presentation) confirmed a lot," DelBene said. "We're giving them too much to learn and they're not learning it."