Real World Challenges

The MCPS Tech Internship program offers students a real-world learning experience that prepares them for future endeavors in the field of cyber security. The team is leveraging the Profile of a VA Classroom to map out connections between cybersecurity students and content experts, identify what personalized learning looks like in these classrooms, and develop assessments that connect students to the real world while focusing on equity for non-traditional cybersecurity students.

MCPS Tech Internship

In this Voices of VaLIN podcast, members from the Pittsylvania team share lessons learned from the expansion of their real-world learning opportunities offered via their division's Career and Technical Center.

Voices of VaLIN Podcast

The Shenandoah VaLIN team worked this year to continue to to bring SCALE (Shenandoah County Advanced Learning Environments) to life. The initiative's goal is to support expansion of career and work-based experiences through continued collaboration with local community agencies, business partners, and higher education institutions.

The Waynesboro City team focused its efforts on a pair of initiatives (Waynesboro High School's Students Solving Community Challenges program and Kate Collins Middle School's Waynesboro Educational Farm) that both incorporated opportunities for real world learning and community engagement within the context of the student experience.

Waynesboro Public Schools and VaLIN

Bristol City is collaborating with the local Chamber to establish a program that prepares and recognizes high school students who demonstrate career and workforce readiness skills. Students are mentored, participate in an advisory period where they create and maintain a digital portfolio, have access to work-based learning opportunities and a spring Job Fair. Successful students receive the Chamber’s Seal of Excellence on their diploma.

Bearcat Bridge overview and Voices of VaLIN podcast

The Nottoway team's Innovation Focus is best summed up as E3 -- Expose, Explore, Experience. Their goal is to expose, reveal, and introduce careers and opportunities to elementary students as they develop curiosity and interests. As students progress through middle school, they explore career pathways, begin to make choices and identify job preferences. E3, at the high school level, involves an active living model where students investigate and become immersed in career and real-life learning experiences.

E3 Overview and Voices of VaLIN Podcast