Civil Municipal Magazine - Dec 2023

315 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 12 NEW KENT COUNT Y PUBL IC SCHOOLS an approach to education that extends beyond traditional boundaries, providing diverse and impactful educational opportunities. The district is committed to offering career-focused classes beginning in middle school, where courses such as agriscience expose kids to future options. With an enrollment of 1100 students at the district’s only high school, the possibilities are plentiful. The efforts to introduce programs such as agriscience, horticulture, engineering, marketing, culinary arts, pharmacy tech and more, demonstrate a holistic view of education that extends beyond traditional academic subjects. Collaborating with regional programs, especially in areas like diesel mechanics, small engine repair, and EMT training, reflects an awareness of the local job market and a commitment to preparing students for real-world opportunities. Dr. Nichols elaborates, “There is a desperate need for firefighters, and EMT personnel. So, working with our county partners, our regional technical program built that program. Year one would be EMT and hopefully year two, if we are able to build that, will be fire, and then students can go right into our community into jobs. You name it, we’ve built it, either directly or with regional partners so that we can bring it to scale. And we’re always looking at new additions to that.” He notes that exercise science and sports medicine are areas of student interest, suggesting that this is a potential future offering. New Kent also has a strong theater program, offering another unique career pathway. “We do all sides of that,” Dr. Nichols acknowledges. “We have kids that go into the back side of the house, with the sets and the producing and those components and they go on to really great colleges, awesome scholarships and great opportunities. And we have kids on the mainstage that do those activities too.” Additionally, an international partnership with Astor College in Kent, England, and the exciting opportunity to travel to England for a joint casting for an international show, contributes to an enriched experience for students. Recognizing the need for an ROTC program at the high school, Dr. Nichols initiated a collaborative effort with community members to secure support. He recounts, “A traditional ROTC program has federal funding tied to it, it also has a lot of hurdles that you have to jump through. While we were jumping through those hurdles, and crossing our T’s and