San Antonio Express News - Hurd Pledges Support to High School-to-Career Program

News Article

By David Hendricks

U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-San Antonio, on Wednesday pledged his support to the area's largest high school-to-career program, from helping find new internships to seeking possible federal agency participation.

"I'm in. I'm on board. If I can be helpful, just ask," Hurd told administrators, educators and industry leaders involved in Alamo Colleges' Alamo Academies during a roundtable discussion.

Hurd volunteered to call companies that don't yet offer internships in the five industries around which the academies are organized. Alamo Colleges liked the idea. Hurd then agreed to work on other unspecified suggestions to promote the program that is about 15 years old.

The five academies began with the planning of the initial Alamo Area Aerospace Academy in the late 1990s. After its initial results, the information technology/security, advanced manufacturing, health careers and heavy-equipment academieswere organized.

Juniors and seniors at 65 participating high schools within Alamo Colleges' district earn up to 30 hours of dual-credit college credit free by attending industry-designed classes from 7:30 to 10 a.m. before finishing their school days at their home high schools.

Participating companies offer internships between the students' junior and senior years and sometimes after graduation, along with employment and assistance for degrees from two- and four-year colleges and universities.

More than 1,100 students have graduated from the Alamo Academies and about 400 students will begin arriving for fall classes next week, said Don Kenton, Alamo Academies board chairman.

Hurd listened to two Alamo Academy graduates about their accomplishments.

Sarah Escobar graduated from the aerospace academy and later entered and finished the separate Toyota Advanced Manufacturing Technician program, and is now employed at Toyota's San Antonio assembly plant. Skylar Daugherty graduated from the information technology/security academy and now is associated with Delta Risk LLC, a San Antonio cybersecurity firm.

"I want to see how to get the federal government more involved," Hurd said. "With Homeland Security, there could some opportunities, with the 24th and 25th Air Forces (cybersecurity units) already here."

Hurd, chairman of the U.S. House Information Technology Subcommittee, also mentioned an annual U.S. Chamber of Commerce roadshow of cybersecurity panel discussions. "I want you (the academies) to be part of that," he said.

More U.S. Defense Department internships are possible, he added.

Alamo Colleges Chancellor Bruce Leslie said Congress can help programs such as the academies with policies that make financial aid more flexible and assure that universities accept credits from more or all community college courses.

Source