Return to Headlines
Kinney High School Awarded $5,000 for CTE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
===
February 25, 2014
RANCHO CORDOVA, CALIF- The machinist program at Kinney High School received a $5,000 gift from the GenCorp Foundation. The award was given to support the program which trains students in the welding and manufacturing trades.
At an informal ceremony, representatives from Aerojet Rocketdyne, the GenCorp Foundation, and the Folsom Cordova Community Partnership (FCCP), witnessed the check presentation made to the high school.
Rich Smith (teacher), Dana Carrigan (principal), Doug Knott (Aerojet/Rocketdyne), Dennis Walstrum (Aerojet/Rocketdyne).
"We're glad to support STEM programs at every level," said Doug Knott, director of site services at Aerojet Rocketdyne for Sacramento. "Programs like these inspire students to pursue careers in engineering and manufacturing making them qualified, prospective employees," he continued.
The grant was awarded to support the Regional Occupation Program (ROP) and the Adult Education Program at Kinney High School.
The ROP program at Kinney enrolls about 20 students, who participate for a semester. Kinney also hosts a very coveted adult education program. The interest for the program is significant with more than 50 applicants for just 12 slots.
The courses are taught by Rich Smith. Rich has been a teacher at Kinney High for 26 years and has been teaching for nearly 30 years. He is assisted in the program by William Rich, a former professional welder for forty years. Students benefit from the combined experience of these educators and the passion they share for hands-on training and application.
William Rich (instructional assistant), Rich Smith (teacher), Dana Carrigan (principal)
The grant will be used to upgrade the shop, introduce new software, purchase raw materials, and to support training.
"We very much appreciate the connection that we have with Aerojet, and look forward to continued support and a strong relationship," said Smith.
Kinney's ROP has been in existence for about 12 years. Graduates of the program have gone on to pursue their education further and often straight into their careers.
Dan Trout, owner of Fish Mouth Fab Works, is an alumnus of the program. Matt Sandoval, an Aerojet Rocketdyne machinist, is a graduate from the ROP program as well.
Local support for the program includes Stroppini Enterprises of Rancho Cordova. "Stroppini has allowed us to use their machines to prepare materials for the program at no cost," exclaimed Smith. The support is reciprocated. According to Smith, Kinney graduates enjoy a 90% rate of successful placement at Stroppini.
Adult Education Program Participant Welding Metal
Folsom Cordova is a strong advocate for Career Technical Education or CTE. CTE programs create an educational environment that integrates core academics with real-world relevance. CTE programs in secondary and post-secondary schools are evolving and innovating to better serve local and state economic needs. Many CTE programs are aligned with the field of study known as STEM-science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Kinney offers five courses in an organized pathway dedicated to manufacturing and product development: Metals 1, 2, 3, and ROP Machine Shop and ROP Metal Fabrication.
The GenCorp Foundation, the philanthropic arm of GenCorp and its subsidiary companies including AeroJet Rocketdyne, was established in 2000 to provide charitable resources in the communities where the company does business and where its employees live, work and volunteer.
The GenCorp Foundation's primary giving focus is education, with emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Since 2000, the GenCorp Foundation has contributed more than $10 million to schools and nonprofit organizations through grants, scholarships and matching gifts.
In 2013, the GenCorp Foundation contributed $607,588 in grants and scholarships.
###