TR:TechReady
Abstract
TR:TechReady is a multifaceted plan to increase the ability of Toms River Regional (NJ) students to enter STEM career fields, particularly those aligned with the Navy’s mission of “ encouraging scientific research, development, and testing/evaluation related to... the preservation of national security .” It builds on a nascent initiative to develop career academies at each of the three district high schools over the next 4-5 years in the areas of arts, business, medicine, engineering, and environmental studies. The ONR grant will allow the schools to expand the plan to include more opportunities for students in the areas of coding, robotics, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing. The main objectives of TR:TechReady are to: 1) create more advanced classes related STEM and coding; 2) develop extracurricular STEM experiences involving competition, mentoring, and externships; 3) begin to redevelop spaces that will allow students to experience practical STEM and coding applications in areas like robotics, cyber security, 3D printing, and advanced manufacturing. As the largest suburban district in the state, Toms River Regional Schools has a deep talent pool, a strong and organized infrastructure, and departments of business, technology, facilities, and curriculum and instruction with a proven track record of: 1) superior fiscal responsibility and planning; 2) implementing large and complex grants; 3) involving community partners; 4) careful record keeping and timely and clear reporting; 5) committing district resources to sustain initiatives well beyond their grant period; and 6) managing new educational initiatives to meet guidelines, deadlines, mandates, legal requirements, and data collection and analysis. The primary partner in this initiative is the United States Navy Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), located in close proximity to the district in Lakehurst, NJ. Staff and students have worked with NAVAIR personnel on previous initiatives, have toured the base, and been involved with staff engineers on projects like a summer STEM camp and a robotics team. NAVAIR has nine main laboratories on site that include radiometry, materials testing, reverse engineering, control systems, and artificial intelligence. TR:TechReady is designed to develop student skills that will prepare them for each of these potential careers. Our secondary partner is Ocean County College. Their commitment will support the project by providing staff training, on-campus student experiences, and mentoring. General support for the program has been roundly expressed by a number of community organizations and leaders. The Toms River Regional Schools implementation team consists of a cross section of diverse talent from our three high schools and at the district level. Many have advanced degrees, previous experience in industry, expertise in grant writing and project development, and experience teaching high level students, particularly in STEM. The logic models, metrics, and evaluation tools that will be used to gauge the project are in place and in line with our expanding Career Academies model, and the district has proven itself particularly adept in the arenas of research, reporting, and data use. As part of continuous progress monitoring and to ensure the initiative evolves into years 2 and 3, the district will collect and analyze key metrics of success, including student enrollment in new courses, involvement in extracurriculars, advanced placement assessment scores, SAT scores, and acceptance into higher ed STEM programs. The missions of the U.S. military and our public schools have much in common. In the end, our efforts are to develop strong, knowledgeable, flexible, and committed citizens. Both organizations strive to help tomorrow’s leaders grow to be all they can be.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 10, 2018
- Source ID
- N000141812241
Entities
People
- Suzanne Signorelli
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy