Pittsville HS wins business/education partnership award

An education partnership between the Pittsville High School Cranberry Science Class and Gardner Cold Storage and Trucking was one of six projects to win a National School and Business Partnerships Award from the Council for Corporate and School Partnerships recently. The award includes a $10,000 prize to further the efforts of the partnership.

The project features student-led professional tours conducted on the farm of a working cranberry grower. High school students apply their classroom science training by providing a comprehensive, interactive tour of the operation. Students learn about the economic impact of the cranberry crop and the local and global impact of the industry. The project is designed to increase student interest and proficiency in plant, soil, and earth sciences; improve their self-esteem and public speaking skills; and help them learn about career options in agriculture, according to ag-education instructor Bill Urban.

Students draft news releases and developed a brochure that is distributed by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism at highway rest stops. Advertising includes radio, television, e-mail, and Web marketing. Tour revenue is used to support the Pittsville FFA, ag-education student scholarships, trips, and community-based events. Cranberry science class, once under-enrolled and at risk of cancellation, is now at full capacity of 22 students, 80 percent of whom are college-bound.

The Council for Corporate & School Partnerships, founded by the Coca-Cola Company, received 330 applications from 44 states and the District of Columbia. Businesses represented included health care, technology, agriculture, and finance.

"Strong school-business partnerships have a clear and powerful impact on student achievement," said former U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, Chairman of The Council for Corporate & School Partnerships. "Building the skills of our future workforce is essential to a nation operating competitively in a twenty-first century economy. When teaching and learning are supported in a real-world context, schools become more enriched places to learn, and students are better prepared for academic and professional success."

The Council for Corporate & School Partnerships works with educators and businesses to identify, create, recognize, and support exemplary business-school relationships that improve the student experience in K-12 schools in the United States. The Council has developed resources to help businesses and schools build relationships that deliver long-term benefits for both partners.

Last updated on 5/30/2006