Progress Energy donates $10,000 to Academy of Constuction, Engineering

Progress Energy representatives are shown with Gilchrist County School District officials, from left, Denny George, account executive for Progress Energy, Don Barselou, director of the Academy of Construction and Engineering, School Superintendent Don Thomas, Bobby Pickels, Community Relations Manager North Florida for Progress Energy, Patricia Powers, Grants Specialist for the school district and Lynnette Langford, Trenton Middle-High School principal.

By Carrie A. Mizell

Gilchrist County School District officials received some much-needed good news last Thursday, when they were told the district will be receiving a $10,000 grant from Progress Energy.

According to Patricia Powers, grants specialist for the Gilchrist County School District, the funds will be used to support Gilchrist County’s Academy of Construction and Engineering by funding exam fees for secondary students to obtain industry certification through the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) in Carpentry Level One or AutoCAD Certified Professional.

“In addition to funding these valuable industry certification exams for students, this project will support the Academy by funding the purchase supplies, equipment and software that will allow instructors to better prepare students for the industry certification exam,” Powers said.

With growth in the tri-county area, Gilchrist County as well as the surrounding counties will benefit from the availability of secondary students that are industry certified in the construction and engineering fields who can go straight into post-secondary programs, or employment in those fields, Powers explained.

“This project will provide funding for the critical needs that will not be met without the support of Progress Energy,” Powers said.

“Budget cuts have forced Gilchrist County Schools to implement reduction in such force as to leave many programs at risk due to lack of resources.”

Once funded, the project will allow the Academy of Construction and Engineering to purchase items needed to keep current in an ever changing field.

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