The Columbus Municipal School District is applying for a $7 million grant that would bring “industry education experiences” to local high school students.
The grant is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor and is part of a $100 million program that focuses on implementing partnerships between students and local industries.
If CMSD is awarded the grant, Youth CareerConnect would last for four years-plus and work to redesign the high school experience, said Superintendent Edna McGill.
“The grant would redesign high school experience through project-based, hands on STEM related activities,” she said.
STEM is the study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The program would be based on six core elements, McGill said. In a power point presentation McGill gave to the school board last week, she said the core elements would be based on integrated academic and career focused learning, employer engagement, individualized career and academic counseling, work based learning and exposure to the world of work, program sustainability and program performance and outcomes.
McGill hopes local industries PACCAR, Severstal, Stark Aerospace and American Eurocopter would be involved in the program. An agreement with Yokohama Tire Company is already in development, she said.
The district is also working with East Mississippi Community College.
“The goal is for students to earn a high school diploma while working to earn college credit to complete a degree or certification through dual credit enrollment,” McGill said.
The project’s focus would be individualized career and academic counseling, including post-secondary awareness and exploration opportunities beyond high school, according to the power point presentation.
McGill said the project “must lead to apprenticeship, certification, high school diploma or entrance into post-secondary education.”
In addition, the project must provide “solid alternate routes to complete high school.”
According to McGill, Youth CareerConnect would decrease dropout rates, provide sustainable long-term qualified workers to current and future employers, redesign STEM education from kindergarten to 12th grade and create long term partnerships between the district and local industries.
Sarah Fowler covered crime, education and community related events for The Dispatch.
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