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Educators Say Saturday Academy at RichmondCC Eye Opener

Mar 23

Twenty-one educators from Richmond and Scotland County had the opportunity to experience firsthand the advanced engineering programs offered at Richmond Community College through a Saturday Academy held March 12 at the state-of-the-art John E. Forte Building.Lead instructor for the Industrial Systems Technology program at RichmondCC, Mark Treadaway, talks to educators from Richmond and Scotland counties about the skills students gain in his program and the career opportunities they have upon earning a degree, diploma or certificate.

The Saturday Academy allowed middle and high school teachers, counselors and administrators to explore all 10 of RichmondCC’s engineering technology programs.

The group of educators found the event enlightening as they learned about the many career opportunities in engineering and how RichmondCC has the resources to prepare students for these careers.

“The Saturday Academy at Richmond Community College was a brilliant eye opener for our teachers and administrative staff here in Scotland and Richmond counties,” said Roosevelt Pridgen, a STEM technology teacher at Carver Middle School. “The college’s programs definitely prepare our students for the 21st century workforce and give them the necessary skills to compete with a global economy and workforce.

“The Saturday Academy raised the awareness of our teachers and administrative staff in order to provide guidance to our student to be career and college ready,” Pridgen added.

The Forte Building includes automation, hydraulics/pneumatics, industrial systems and motor controls labs. The group also received a personal tour of the college’s working substation, which is the “lab site” for students enrolled in the Electric Utility Substation and Relay Technology program, the only one of its kind in the country.

“RichmondCC's Saturday Academy was an eye opener for me. The curriculum and degrees offered for our students are one of this region’s best kept secrets,” said Sandre Lane, a science and math teacher in the Carver STEM Magnet School. “What a difference two years can make. As one of the instructors said, ‘We are not creating jobs, we are creating careers.’ Teachers joining forces with RichmondCC will definitely help STEM education in our community.”

The group of educators received information about enrollment opportunities for high school students and discussed the academic preparation needed for students to be successful in these programs.

“Richmond County School teachers loved the collaboration with Richmond Community College faculty during the recent Saturday Academy,” said Kelly DeLong, director, K-12 Math and Science, Richmond County Schools. “Both schools strive for engaging and relevant educational experiences for the students.  It was exciting to see the many real world ways math can be used for STEM careers. What a wonderful asset RichmondCC is to our students and our community.”