The Governor's Academy for Innovation, Technology & Engineering (GAITE)

Project Lead: New Horizons Regional Education Centers (NHREC)

Program Focus: The program will focus on electrical and mechanical engineering with instruction provided at high schools in participating school divisions, online and at Thomas Nelson Community College.

Partners: New Horizons Regional Education Centers (NHREC); Greater Peninsula Public School Divisions: Gloucester County; Hampton City; Newport News City; Poquoson City; Williamsburg-James City County; York County; Thomas Nelson Community College (TNCC); Old Dominion University (ODU); Virginia Space Grant Consortium; Northrop Grumman Corporation; The Apprenticeship School of Northrop Grumman; Cooperating Hampton Roads Organization for Minorities in Engineering (CHROME); Peninsula Council for Workforce Development; Peninsula Workforce Investment Board; and Peninsula Technical Preparation.

GAITE website

Board Of Education Approved Governor’s Academy Application

Executive Summary

Partnership Members: New Horizons Regional Education Centers (NHREC); Greater Peninsula Public School Divisions: Gloucester County; Hampton City; Newport News City; Poquoson City; Williamsburg-James City County; York County; Thomas Nelson Community College (TNCC); Old Dominion University (ODU); Virginia Space Grant Consortium; Northrop Grumman Corporation; The Apprenticeship School of Northrop Grumman; Cooperating Hampton Roads Organization for Minorities in Engineering (CHROME); Peninsula Council for Workforce Development; Peninsula Workforce Investment Board; and Peninsula Technical Preparation

Lead Entity: New Horizons Regional Education Centers (NHREC)

Fiscal Agent: Hampton City Public Schools

Contact Person:
Mr. J. Joseph Johnson, Executive Director
New Horizons Regional Education Centers
Phone: 757-766-0000
E-mail: jjohnson@nhrec.org

Academy Location:
STEM Academy
520 Butler Farm Road
Hampton, VA 23666

Number of Students Served: Seventh and eighth grade: 75-100 students; ninth and tenth grade: 150 students; eleventh and twelfth grade: approximately 180 students

Career Pathways: Electrical Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology

Academy Goals and Description: The Governor's Academy for Innovation, Technology and Engineering (GAITE) will foster a vibrant economy for the Virginia Peninsula and the Commonwealth by creating a culture that educates and trains innovators and technologists necessary for businesses to remain competitive in a global economy. GAITE will direct its initial focus on the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) career cluster with the development of career pathways in engineering technologies, particularly electrical engineering technology and mechanical engineering technology. For these two career pathways, GAITE will establish regional enrichment programs to include Engineering Technology Exploratory Saturdays (seventh and eighth grade) and an Engineering Technology Summer Camp (ninth and tenth grade). GAITE will also establish an Academy for Engineering Technology (eleventh and twelfth grade) within at least one high school in each of the six school divisions in the Greater Peninsula area.

Under the facilitation of NHREC, the Academy for Engineering Technology will implement a unique academy model that focuses on school division-based courses while utilizing regional courses at NHREC and the community colleges, as well as distance learning. GAITE's engineering technology curriculum will provide a seamless alignment from middle school to high school to college, emphasizing advanced academics (Algebra I in 8th grade, Algebra II by 11th grade, and four years of science) and college-level technical training. The instructional pedagogy will implement project-based, experiential and cooperative learning. GAITE implementation will be supported by regional and school team-based professional development.

Upon successful implementation of this initial effort, GAITE will be expanded to develop enrichment programs and academy designs for other career clusters and pathways such as geospatial technologies, modeling and simulation, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and other fields of innovation, technology and engineering based upon the work force needs on the Greater Virginia Peninsula.

NHREC is the largest and oldest regional center in the state and will become the only one to operate both a Governor's School (The Governor's School for Science and Technology) and a Governor's Academy for Career and Technical Education (GAITE).

Highlights of the Academy:

A regional partnership facilitated by a Regional Education Center to establish regional and divisional programs focused initially on Electrical Engineering Technology and Mechanical Engineering Technology.
The Virginia Space Grant Consortium will design and facilitate enrichment programs to include Engineering Technology Exploratory Saturdays and Engineering Technology Summer Camp.
The Academy for Engineering Technology curriculum (eleventh and twelfth grades) will be aligned with Thomas Nelson Community College's and Old Dominion University's Engineering Technology degree programs.
The Academy for Engineering Technology will be based in the school divisions, and courses will be offered at divisional high schools, NHREC, TNCC, and/or through distance learning.
Students will earn college credits and industry credentialing as well as participate in a senior year internship, mentorship, or project learning experience.

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