On February 8, 2007, North County High School celebrated their High School/High Tech program with a Meet and Greet reception in the school cafeteria. This celebration highlighted the program and introduced many of their community partners, including Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation and the Division of Rehabilitation Services. The event was kicked off by North County Principal Frank Drazan, who enthusiastically welcomed program participants and their families, and offered his support of the program. Guest speaker for the evening was Robert Burns, Assistant State Superintendent in Rehabilitation Services, who addressed the community partnerships, as well as the many supports and opportunities to be offered through the Division of Rehabilitation Services.
Much of the evening was devoted to sharing what the High School/High Tech program has to offer students who are interested in careers in science, technology, engineering, or math. Student volunteers from the program helped to organize the event, set up the room, and even served as official event photographers! According to program manager Sandy Kelley, the reception served to ‘put a face on the program’ for student participants, their families, and community supporters. Ms. Kelley has been working diligently since taking on this role in December, to do just that, with High School/High Tech having a part-time classroom and a bulletin board in the halls of North County High School. This has made the program much more visible to the students. As a result of this reception, the program is also much more visible to community partners and businesses, who are being encouraged to offer work site tours and guest speakers for program participants. It certainly looks like North County’s High School/High Tech program is set for an exciting and productive year!