AEP, BridgeValley CTC partner to recruit STEM students

“By high school graduation, students will have the ability to earn 12 college credits at BridgeValley,” said Chris T. Beam, president of AEP subsidiary Appalachian Power. “Two participating high schools — Nitro and Riverside — were selected because their students will be particularly benefited from the Credits Count program.”

The program will extend into the middle schools that feed into Nitro and Riverside, Beam said.

Among other things, the program will provide instructor support and equipment for hands-on and early enrollment coursework.

Melissa Thompson, Credits Count program director at BridgeValley, said Nitro and Riverside, which are both along the Kanawha River at opposite ends of Kanawha County, were chosen because students there don’t have as many STEM opportunities as those at other Kanawha County high schools.

“They’re going to be exposed to a lot of different STEM career opportunities in their classes at school,” she said. “We’re going to have after-school robotics and different things that might spark their interest. They’re hands-on, maybe outside-the-classroom activities. We’re going to give them tutoring or some summer bridge programs to keep their skills up, maybe if their math or science levels aren’t that great. If they want extra help, they’re going to get it. It’s all free for them.

“When they’re juniors and seniors, they can take dual-credit classes, again, free for them through BridgeValley, in advanced manufacturing or the computer science technology area. They’ll be able to graduate with 12 hours. They will come in with a whole semester completed if they’d like.”

The program is in its planning phase now, and it is scheduled to launch in fall 2018. According to information provided by the AEP Foundation, the program will reach more than 2,000 students to assess college readiness. About 200 of those will participate in the summer bridge program for help in math, science and English skills. About 2,000 middle school students will participate in STEM exploration experiences. About 350 high school students are expected to earn college credit while completing high school.

Eunice Bellanger, president of BridgeValley, said, “By engaging younger students through hands-on activities, we can spark an interest in STEM-related fields and nurture these middle school students each step of the way to becoming college students.

“By working closely with our friends at Kanawha County Schools, we are going to reach out to those students often overlooked and let them know they have indeed what it takes to graduate from college. Then we are going to provide students the skills, experiences and support they need to earn a college degree.

“Only by increasing the number of college graduates armed with technical and critical thinking skills can we create new businesses and career opportunities for our children in West Virginia.”