FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: March 16, 2005
Number: nr 05-03
Contact: Nan Powers Varoga, 713-658-1881 (o), 713-729-1639 (c)
nvaroga@houstonaplus.org
WACHOVIA SUPPORTS TEACHER EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Wachovia Corporation has awarded The Houston A+ Challenge $1,600 to fund two teacher externship positions during the week of June 6-10.
“We support Houston A+ Challenge because their aims align so well with ours,” said Lori Vetters, President of Wachovia’s Houston region. “Wachovia believes in assisting teachers so their students can gain the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. Houston A+ Challenge has been doing exactly that since 1997 and we are proud to help.”
Described by some as shadowing or immersion programs, externships are designed to connect classroom teachers with business professionals in their field of study in order to make students’ learning experiences more relevant to the workplace.
The Teacher Externship program was started in 2003 by the Greater Houston Partnership and Houston A+ Challenge as part of Houston Schools for a New Society (HSNS), an initiative with Houston ISD to create a system of redesigned high schools to assure students a seamless transition into higher education and the workforce. The externships were designed to help teachers develop a better understanding of the attributes needed by high school graduates to succeed in the workplace.
The first year, teachers at Reagan High School in the Houston Independent School District participated. This year, high school teachers in all 23 of Houston ISD’s comprehensive high schools are eligible to apply as well as teachers in 14 high schools that are funded by Houston A+ Challenge in four other school districts. Those schools are:
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In addition to Wachovia, other participating businesses this year are Wells Fargo Bank Texas; Duke Energy; Sterling Bank; Eagle Energy; Enbridge Energy; Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc.; Vinson and Elkins, LLP and Centerpoint Energy.
“These companies make it possible for us to help teachers create customized learning environments so that students and educators each learn the knowledge and skills needed in the 21st century,” said Michele Pola, Ed.D, executive director of Houston A+ Challenge.
For more information on Houston A+ Challenge initiatives, visit www.houstonaplus.org. Houston A+ is an independent, public-private education organization.
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