ABEC Awards Program
As part of this initiative, ABEC wishes to recognize excellence and innovation in business-education partnerships that support Arizona's K-12 public education system, in order to encourage the expansion and creation of other programs based on these successful models.
2009 BEST PRACTICES PARTNERSHIP AWARDS
For 2009, ABEC expanded its business-education partnership award program to recognize outstanding programs in different focus areas that clearly measured improvement in student achievement. Those programs that were recognized as
"Best Practice" FINALISTS were:
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2009 "Best Practices"
Award Recipients
Career Exploration:
AAA Cares, a partnership between Deer Valley Unified School District and AAA
STEM:
E.X.I.T.E. Summer Camp, a partnership between Flowing Wells Schools and IBM Tucson
Professional Development:
Intel® Teach, a partnership between the Arizona Department of Education and Intel Corporation
Best Emerging Partnership:
Powering our Future: Renewable Energy Summer Internship, a partnership between Mesa Public Schools, Salt River Project, Arizona State University, and the Arizona Foundation for Resource Education
Best Overall Partnership:
Intel® Teach, A partnership between the Arizona Department of Education and Intel Corporation
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CAREER EXPLORATION -
- "AAA Cares Program": Deer Valley Unified School District and AAA*
The AAA Cares program provides an interactive educational environment where at-risk students learn and obtain skills to become a workforce professional through a volunteer mentor approach. The 20-week long program matches aspiring students with workforce professional to demonstrate how to participate effectively in a working environment. Course lessons include: collaboration and team building, business dress, oral and written communication, and computer training. All students are given laptops and are trained in standard Microsoft Office programs.
- "Skills for Success": Flagstaff Unified School District and Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce
Skills for Success is a workforce development initiative focusing on retaining and increasing wealth in the Flagstaff community by urging local youth to remain in Flagstaff as they graduate and pursue their careers. The program pairs businesses with middle and high school classrooms to create a workforce for local students who will fulfill tomorrow's jobs. The aim of the program is to discuss the basic "soft skills" - including respect, punctuality, and responsibility -needed by students to be successful workers. Also, the program aims to increase awareness about the career opportunities in Flagstaff through offering glimpses into a variety of local professions through on-site business visits.
- "Kingman Robotics Team 60": Kingman High School and Laron Engineering
The Kingman Robotics Team 60 participates in F.I.R.S.T- For Inspiration and Research in Science and Technology. F.I.R.S.T's goal has been to open the door for the youth in all communities nationwide to advance in the areas of engineering, science, mathematics and education. This is accomplished through the concept of a challenging game that incorporates all of the aforementioned areas (along with marketing, finance, public relations) and the interaction of the students and the engineers/machinists. Kingman students work alongside Laron mentors designing and building robots to compete against other teams. Students from the robotics program go on to work as interns with many of the local businesses that sponsor the team on a regular basis.
STEM -
- "E.X.I.T.E. Summer Camp": Flowing Wells Schools and IBM Tucson
E.X.I.T.E (EXploring Interest in Technology and Engineering) is a worldwide IBM program which encourages junior high aged girls to pursue careers in science and engineering so as to reach groups that are underrepresented in the technical workforce. At Flowing Wells Schools, the E.X.I.T.E. program provides approximately 20-30 7th and 8th grade girls each year with the opportunity to attend a week- long summer camp located on the IBM Tucson campus and to be mentored by an IBM volunteer throughout the year. During camp, the girls are provided a wide variety of STEM-related workshops and activities taught by IBM engineers. They are also partnered with an IBM female role model/mentor that they communicate with throughout the year via a secure IBM 'Mentor Place' website.
- "Powering our Future: Renewable Energy Summer Internship": Mesa Public Schools, Salt River Project, Arizona State University, and the Arizona Foundation for Resource Education*
The SRP Renewable Energy Summer Internship fosters in youth an awareness of an interest in STEM subjects. This project is designed for a minimum of 96 underserved middle-school students to participate in a technologically rich, year-round, after-school program that engages them in real-world problem-solving. The internship is facilitated by SRP and AFRE to provide 20 hours of summer programming to student participants each year. The program offers a collection of hands-on explorations into natural resources, energy conservation, and renewable energy technologies. Participants visit SRP facilities, interact with SRP professionals, explore careers in water and energy conservation industries, and build working models to harness energy from power of wind, solar, and water.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT -
- "Intel Teach": Arizona Department of Education and Intel Corporation*
The Intel Teach Program helps K-12 teachers learn how to integrate technology into lessons to promote problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration skills among their students. The goal of the program is to improve teaching and learning through effective professional development for teachers. The project uses a "train the trainer" model to provide 24 to 40-hour face-to-face and online courses that help teachers integrate technology into instruction. District leaders select teachers who are trained as Master Instructors, who, in turn, are responsible for sharing their new skills with teachers in their district or region. Participating teachers create units of instruction aligned to Arizona standards that can be immediately implemented in the classroom.
- Arizona Foundation for Resource Education, Salt River Project, Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold, bhp billiton, and various school districts.
AFRE seeks to enhance the individual and collective performance of educators who are committed to increasing the academic achievement of students in STEM fields. Through a 'Best Practices Series', 'AZventure Series' and the 'Make it Happen' program, AFRE serves more than 5,000 teachers and educational leaders in Arizona. Workshops, field experiences, summer academies, and on-campus support are some of the activities AFRE utilizes for its professional development instruction.
In addition, those programs above that have not existed for more than three years - indicated with an asterisk (*) - were also considered for a new award,
"Best Emerging" Business-Education Partnership. One outstanding program was also recognized as the
"Best Overall" Business-Education Partnership for 2009 by ABEC.
2008 BEST PRACTICES PARTNERSHIP AWARD
The 2008 recipient of the ABEC "Best Practices" in Business-Education Partnership Award was The Gowan Achievement Project, a partnership between the
Gowan Company and
Crane Elementary School District #13 in Yuma, Arizona. In choosing the 2008 recipient, the selection panel focused on the evidence presented and the degree to which the partnership "achieved and measured success" that improved student achievement.
Award News Release
2008 "Best Practices" Awards Presentation
Case Study: Gowan Achievement Project
