FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2024
Contact: Amanda Beeman, Assistant Direction of Communications, (740) 657-5080
OLENTANGY SCHOOLS AWARDED $2.3 MILLION TOWARDS ADVANCED MANUFACTURING STUDENT PATHWAYS
The Ohio Department of Education & Workforce recently announce the recipients of the 2024 Ohio Career Technical Education Equipment Grant Program. Among the distinguished awardees is Olentangy Schools, which will receive over $2.3 million. This grant will directly support programs related to the District's advanced manufacturing pathway curriculum.
The Ohio Career Technical Education (CTE) Equipment Grant Program provides funding to school districts to establish or expand CTE programs. Of the 174 Ohio school districts that applied for the Career Technical Education Equipment Grant Program, 56 schools will receive grants totaling more than $67.7 million, expanding career technical education access to an additional 10,345 Ohio students.
“In education right now, opportunities for students can sometimes feel like ‘this’ or ‘that.’ There is an academic route, or there is a trade route. This grant will provide programming and experiences that will blend previously separate pathways into a comprehensive program that will truly prepare Olentangy students for in-demand careers” shared Chief Academic Officer Dr. Michelle Blackley, upon learning that Olentangy was a grant recipient. “This grant will help transform our educational experiences to ensure every student flourishes beyond Olentangy.”
The allocated grant funds will allow the District to purchase essential equipment, including 3D printers, drones, collaborative robotic tools, hydraulic systems, pneumatic systems, PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), virtual reality headsets and 3D laptops for immersive learning experiences, along with the requisite training for teaching staff.
Funding priority was given to programs that support careers on Ohio’s Top Jobs List and establish or expand credentialing programs from the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation Innovative Workforce Incentive Program list. Olentangy’s application included examples of emerging industry occupations and how proposed programming would correlate to job readiness. Industry leaders partnering with the Olentangy: BridgED program also provided letters of recommendation in support of the District's grant application; those partners included Honda, Worthington Enterprises/Worthington
Steel, and Advanced Technologies Consultants.
Superintendent Todd R. Meyer expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We are thrilled to be on the forefront of educational innovation, thanks to the generous support of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. This visionary program equips students with the skills, knowledge, and adaptability for technical jobs that continue to be created."
Collaborating with our Olentangy: BridgED community partners, we are tailoring the curriculum to align with the demands of emerging sectors, providing students with the tools and resources necessary to meet the evolving needs of the workforce. This advanced manufacturing pathway, funded through this Olentangy Schools is the fourth largest school district in the state of Ohio with 27 schools, located predominately in Delaware County. Olentangy’s mission is to facilitate maximum learning for every student. CTE grant program, propels Olentangy forward in our mission to facilitate maximum learning for every student.”
Olentangy will introduce equipment and training into the middle and high school curriculum throughout the 2024-2025 school year.
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