State Superintendent Announces $600,000 in Grants to Upgrade CTE Equipment
Posted by Bhargav Ram Nara on April 15, 2021, 9:10 AM EDT
RICHMOND — Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane announced Thursday the awarding of $600,000 in competitive grants to 16 high schools and technical centers to upgrade equipment for their career and technical education programs. Each school or center will receive $37,500 to purchase new equipment and make other necessary improvements.
“Career and technical education programs provide deeper-learning opportunities for students and prepare them for success, regardless of the college or career pathways they choose after high school. The relevance and quality of CTE programs are enhanced when students are able to learn and demonstrate their skills on equipment that is up-to-date and representative of what they will encounter in the workplace,” Lane said. “With this funding, the commonwealth continues to carry out its commitment to making the critical investments necessary to give students the tools and training they need to be competitive in the 21st-century economy.”
The awards, by school division, are as follows:
● Alexandria — Governor’s Health Sciences Academy at T.C. Williams High (enhanced virtual and augmented reality technology in healthcare)
● Buchanan County — Buchanan County Career, Technology, and Higher Learning Center (adult full-body nursing simulator, virtual monitor and medication scanner)
● Chesapeake — Chesapeake Middle School (robotic and drone devices)
● Cumberland County — Cumberland High (virtual reality equipment, 3D printer, computer numerical control and laser engraver)
● Frederick County — James Wood High and Millbrook High (agricultural bovine breeder, injection and milking simulators)
● Giles County — Giles County Technical Center (clinical skills manikin, clinical experiences simulator and multi-pad skills trainer)
● Hampton — Kecoughtan High (Wi-Fi enabled prototype creator and equipment for augmented reality)
● Henrico County — Advanced Career Education Center at Hermitage High (computer numerical control and waterjet training system)
● Hopewell — Hopewell High (stereo zoom microscopes, digital evidence kits, forensic laptops and finger print scanners)
● King William County — King William High (digital single lens reflex camera, large format printer and cold and compression therapy system)
● Louisa County — Louisa County High (solar/wind energy training systems)
● Montgomery County – Governor’s STEM Academy (computer numerical control and hydraulic guillotine master shear)
● Nottaway County — Amelia-Nottoway Technical Center (geriatric, adult and pediatric manikins and auscultation trainer)
● Richmond County — Governor’s STEM Academy at Northern Neck Technical Center (computer numerical control, plasma machine and laser cutter)
● Rockbridge County – Rockbridge County High (computer numerical control, multi-process welder, laser engraver and water chiller cutter)
● Suffolk — The College and Career Academy at Pruden (dual skin down-draft paint booth)
“As the Governor and I have traveled to different high schools and technical centers across the commonwealth, we have seen the importance of CTE programs in equipping students for the jobs of the 21st century," said Secretary of Education Atif Qarni. "These new CTE grants will help ensure Virginia's high school students have quality hands-on learning experiences that inspire and equip them to excel in their future careers."
The competitive CTE equipment grant program was established by the 2016 General Assembly, and the first grants to schools and technical centers were awarded in 2017. The grant program awards priority to challenged schools, Governor’s STEM Academies, and Governor’s Health Science Academies.
