On Thursday afternoon, Governor Glenn Youngkin partnered with the University of Mary Washington’s College of Education for a ribbon cutting at the new Academy of Technology and Innovation (ATI) on UMW’s Stafford campus.
The ATI, which opened earlier this year, is a new lab school geared toward preparation, collaboration and innovation for high school students from Orange, Caroline, King George, Stafford counties and the City of Fredericksburg.
Prior to the ribbon cutting, educators, and administrators from UMW and participating school divisions shared their appreciation for Youngkin and UMW president Troy Paino for their efforts to enhance regional education opportunities.
Speakers such as Rebecca Towery, executive director of UMW’s Academy of Technology and Innovation, remarked on the importance of personalized learning and hands-on education.
According to Towery, the project will serve as “a place to pilot research-based education practices that we know are effective but that can be challenging to implement in traditional comprehensive high schools.”
The ATI program specializes in creating personalized opportunities and pathways for students. Through more hands-on activities, these students can “own their education process a little bit and help them map out where they might want to go, and then support them in that journey,” added Towery.
Prospective students got the chance to meet and take photos with Youngkin and assisted with the ribbon cutting.
The program will not only help high school students tone their education to support their future career paths; it will also allow future educators in UMW’s College of Education to get a more personalized experience.
UMW has a school-university partnership with ATI, which allows them to work closely with instructors by giving COE students the opportunity to intern. This experience broadens their knowledge and shows innovative teaching models.
Danielle Springston, the university facilitator and the assistant professor in the College of Education explained how the program benefits a wide range of students, from rising ninth graders to graduating college seniors.
“It’ll provide a different lens for them to see, particularly how science and engineering and STEM are integrated throughout the curriculum,” Springston said.
ATI is designed to help UMW’s future educators, as it allows a different perspective on teaching as they focus on a liberal arts twist on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
It serves a purpose and offers opportunities “both for students who are already really high achieving and for students who are looking to grow and become the next version of the learner that they are now,” Towery said.
