Students get “jump start” in IT

Information Technology (iT) students at Battlefield High School are gaining real-world skills and accreditation often obtainable only through post-secondary education. Web Technology students have become “Certified Internet WebMasters” while robotics team members celebrated their World Championship Rookie All-Star victory. The technical knowledge students obtain in the iT program gives them a “jump start” on careers or college. Many partnerships with local businesses support the school iT program. These invaluable connections were celebrated at a recent partnership signing ceremony held on April 20 at the school.

“From the very beginning our partnerships had to be mutually beneficial between the school and the business. We hope businesses take away as much from these connections as we do,” School Board Chairman Lucy S. Beauchamp said at the event. “The skills that you are giving the students are something they may never have gotten at home, or even maybe at school. What the businesses are providing is an incredible asset to Prince William County Schools.”

Battlefield High School’s first partnership signing brought out an all-star cast of players including a representative for Congressman Tom Davis, and Prince William County District Supervisors Wally Covington (Brentsville) and John T. Stirrup, Jr. (Gainesville) along with members of the Prince William County Department of Economic Development and head representatives from all of the iT program’s partner companies. Along with Beauchamp, representing the School Division were School Board Vice-Chairman Betty D. Covington (Dumfries) and fellow members Grant Lattin (Occoquan), Julie Lucas (Neabsco), and Don Richardson (Gainesville), along with Superintendent of Schools Steven L. Walts, Associate Superintendent for Area I Alison Nourse-Miller, Associate Superintendent for Area IV Mickey Mulgrew, Associate Superintendent for Communications and Technology Services Keith Imon, Associate Superintendent for Human Resources Keith Johnson, and Associate Superintendent for Student Learning and Accountability Pam Gauch. Battlefield iT faculty, staff, and students packed the remainder of the room to celebrate the successful collaboration between industry and education.

Nine different partnership agreements were signed during the ceremony, including contracts with TKC Communications, Comcast, Lockheed Martin, DeVry University, Drywall Systems, Inc. and Sean Cosgrove Racers, Scientific Applications International Corporation (SAIC), TKC Global Solutions, Micron Technology, and Remax Olympic.

“We are constantly working to give our students every single opportunity at many different levels to come out in front years before they reach the business world,” says Walts. “It’s exciting at every level.”

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