Kaleigh Walker 865 Academies, Career Empowerment

Unlocking Manufacturing Opportunities: A Day with MSC

Manufacturing plays a pivotal role in shaping the economic landscape of the United States, driving innovation, and providing lucrative career opportunities – but like so many other industries, it is projected to face significant personnel shortages in the next several years.

To respond to the growing issue, MSC Industrial Supply partnered with other organizations in East Tennessee – The University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory – to host the first Manufacturing Day of its kind in our area. 

865 Academies students from Karns High School in the Automotive; Coding; Computer Science; Fire Science; Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Systems (MEPS); Structural Systems; and Welding pathways attended the event at the MSC Machining Research Laboratory to have a first-hand look at the cutting-edge technologies under development and experience hands-on metalworking demonstrations.

“Manufacturing typically loses out to things like computer programming, 3D printing, or robotics, and people don’t realize that all of those are manufacturing technologies,” said Senior Innovation R&D Engineer Michael Gomez. “This is a really unique way for us to show kids what manufacturing looks like and then hopefully get some of them excited and interested in it, especially if they’re interested in going to college or a community college.”

During one demonstration, a machining expert took a chunk of medal and showed the steps it takes to turn it into a hinge for an airplane door. 

“You might not understand the word ‘manufacturing,’ but you’re probably interested in jets and planes and these types of things. We showed how these things are made,” Gomez said. 

It’s partnerships like these that make the 865 Academies initiative so unique for the students in Knox County. We are preparing the next generation of manufacturers, researchers, and innovators through career-themed pathways for students to earn industry certifications and participate in internships by leveraging the world-class organizations right here in our backyard.

MSC provides valuable experiences through internships for students interested in manufacturing that offers a look into research and development in a laboratory environment.

Be on the lookout for more from MSC. Gomez said they will continue to support the 865 Academies through hosting Manufacturing Day events and providing lab internships, but he also hopes they will expand their outreach to more schools and include even more partners to build excitement for the field.

Interested in learning more about how your organization can be an 865 Academies partner? Visit knoxschools.org/academies for details.

Kaleigh Walker Career Empowerment, Community Partners

“Real Forrest Gump” Medal of Honor Hero Inspires High School Students

As highly decorated First Class Army sergeant Sammy Lee Davis reached the podium for a visit with the Powell High School junior class, he opened the floor to questions, rather than reciting the eight-page speech he had prepared. 

Powell High School teacher Rusty Smith helped to bring the Medal of Honor recipient to the school in hopes that his students could apply Davis’ story to their lives. 

As an Army private, his unit fell under heavy fire from the Viet Cong. During the attack, he suffered several gunshot wounds and broke his back. Despite the severity of his injuries, Davis crossed a river in waist-high water to retrieve and save the lives of three fellow soldiers.

“That’s one of the reasons why my country awarded me a Medal of Honor,” he said. “I could have not stood up and done the job I needed to do for my brothers, but I knew in my heart they would do it for me.”

Students asked about his life, military service, recovery from physical injuries, and the medals he earned. 

Davis answered with stories from his service during the Vietnam War and about the heroic acts that ultimately earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military medal of valor.

It was this display of courage that inspired some of the film Forrest Gump, in which video of his Medal of Honor ceremony was used with actor Tom Hanks’ head superimposed over Davis’ – ultimately earning him the “Real Forrest Gump” the nickname. 

During the hour of Q&A with the living legend, Davis told a story about trying snake meat for the first time after running out of food in the jungle; shared the first song he learned on the harmonica – “Oh Shanondoah,” which is still one of his favorites; and detailed a meeting with former Vietnamese soldiers that took place only a few years ago. 

“We sat there for almost an hour, not looking at each other, not talking to the Vietnamese troops,” he recalled. “But after a while, I just wanted them to know that I didn’t hate them. I was just a soldier doing my job. And that’s when they said, ‘I feel the same way.’”

Davis told an inquiring student that despite the horrors he saw, the injuries he sustained, and the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) he still battles to this day, he would do it all again if he needed to. 

“Heroes are everyday Americans like us. He doesn’t want all the attention and credit, and to me, that humility goes a long way,” Smith said. “I hope that they could see that some of the qualities and characteristics he has can apply to their own lives.”The biggest lesson for students and community alike? “You don’t lose until you quit trying.”

Kaleigh Walker Great Educators, Student Success

From Struggles to Scribbles: A Pre-K Teacher’s Literacy Triumph Inspires Little Learners

Sandra Robledo proudly stands in her Pre-K classroom after school.

Every morning at 7:15 a.m., 20 three- to five-year-olds run into a colorful classroom at West View Elementary, ready for the day ahead.

Pre-K teacher Sandra Robledo has each day planned for them down to the minute so they know what to expect every time they come to school.

After a trip to the cafeteria for breakfast, the class returns to their room for a group read-aloud and a nursery rhyme. 

“In Pre-K, we work on phonemic awareness and pre-skills, like some of the letters, letter sounds, and what starts with what letter. Then they need to know their name and how to write their name,” she said. “If you introduce these skills in Pre-K, they’ll be better prepared in kindergarten.”

Building on strong foundational literacy skills is a priority for Knox County Schools, especially as studies have shown that students who are not proficient readers by third grade are four times less likely than their peers to graduate high school.

This is why the Learning and Literacy Department and the Early Childhood Department provide high-quality instructional material in every classroom, starting with Pre-K.

Robledo said the improvement she has seen in her students “has been amazing” since Heggerty was implemented three years ago. 

“They’re sponges,” she said. “It’s important for me to know that the kids are getting high-quality teaching, but also care as well.”

She holds back tears as she recalls how “Pre-K chose me.”

Robledo returned to Knoxville from teaching at an international school in Caracas, Venezuela, when she attended a KCS Hiring Fair. She thought she might teach first or second grade, but as she wandered around the booths and tables of local schools looking for her future home away from home, she saw Carol Idol, the former Pre-K program coordinator, waving an application at her. 

“I thought, ‘Wow, I might want to try that,’ so Carol brought me to West View. I knew this was the school I wanted to be in,” she said. “I’m so happy here!”

This year marks a decade at West View, but she’s been a lifelong educator, as she began teaching children English when she was 16 in her home country of Colombia.

“I was a struggling student, so I felt like I could help kids that were also struggling or have trouble learning,” Robledo said. “That compassion came from a home that always wanted to help.”

Kaleigh Walker 865 Academies, Career Empowerment, Student Success

Student Spotlight: Gryphon Guide and STEM Innovation Leader

Brianna Andrews was shooting for clouds when she decided to pursue aerospace engineering as a young girl. 

A senior at L&N STEM Academy, her high school experience has prepared her to take the next step. Andrews is ready for college, but not everyone is. 

That’s why the 865 Academies initiative was implemented at high schools throughout Knox County to help prepare students for enrolling in a college or trade school, enlisting in service to their country, or finding employment in a high-skill, high-wage career. 

L&N offers its students programs in the School of Advanced Inquiry; School of Computational Science and Cybersecurity; School of Design Thinking; and School of Physics, Mechanics, and Engineering. 

With advanced academic pathways like these now available, Andrews admitted she was a little envious of not being able to take part. Each high school has launched the academy initiative with a Freshman Academy to ease the transition from middle to high school. Those students will be the first to experience the academies and pathways model, but to get involved where she can, Andrews has participated in the Gryphon Guides, the student ambassador program for L&N. 

“Being a Gryphon Guide allowed me to find my voice and become a leader because I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of things that I wouldn’t imagine myself doing,” Andrews said. “It’s been a great experience to get to be a part of something so special.”

Ambassadors serve as school representatives, giving tours to visitors and being the spokespeople for media spots. More than just repping their school, these programs also teach the soft skills necessary to nail job interviews, successfully lead teams, and converse with notable community members.

She said it’s easy to talk about L&N. It’s where her brother went, and it’s a place that she is proud to attend. 

L&N STEM Academy was recently recognized as a Gold AP Honor Roll school, along with several other KCS schools. 

“I really love talking about the things that we have going on here, and it’s such an impactful experience to be able to meet people in the community and talk about the things that I love about STEM – to help other students see the beauty in the school from the architecture to the people and the different things that we offer,” she said. 

(Side note: Andrews’ favorite place on campus is the Idea Factory, a collaborative workspace for the newest ideas in STEM.)

Though she isn’t a part of the Academies, Andrews has taken part in a few unique internships – an important component of the 865 Academies model in addition to career talks, job shadowing, and work-based learning.

Andrews’ internship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory will grow her experience and increase her confidence as she prepares for an elite aerospace engineering program at a school like the University of Tennessee, Purdue University, or New York University. 

With the help of her teachers, the support from her parents, and rigorous coursework from her school, Andrews is certain she will be prepared for all that comes her way.

Interested in learning more about how your organization can be an 865 Academies partner? Visit knoxschools.org/academies for details.

Josh Flory 865 Academies, Career Empowerment

UT Medical Center Cultivates Future Healthcare Leaders

Photo courtesy of the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

As East Tennessee’s population grows, the University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC) is seeing increased demand for health care services. At the same time, UTMC leaders say they’re facing a declining interest among young people in health care careers.

Taken together, those trends are a significant factor in the organization’s support of the 865 Academies initiative, a community-driven effort to transform the high school experience in Knox County.

Knox County Schools launched the Academies initiative in the Fall of 2022, and every district high school will implement the program by 2024. Among other things, the initiative creates career-themed academies for students in grades 10-12, allowing them to participate in work-based learning, explore options for college, and create strong connections between classroom knowledge and workplace success.

At UTMC, officials say the initiative offers strong synergy with their own mission of providing health care in an academic context. Dr. Keith Gray, UTMC president, said most people think of jobs as physicians or nurses when they think about the health-care field – careers which require early planning to achieve the necessary credentials.

But the industry also includes a wide range of other opportunities, including clinical positions that don’t require a bachelor’s degree and non-clinical jobs in areas such as accounting or HR.

“It’s not like a sports team,” said Gray. “If you play baseball but you can’t throw, hit, or catch, you can’t play baseball. But you can be a health care provider or a care-delivery specialist no matter what your skills are. No matter what your interests are, you can be a part of the health care industry.”

As an industry partner for the Academies, UTMC recently hosted externships for teachers from Hardin Valley Academy and Karns High School, and visits by more schools are planned. Those experiences are designed to help educators understand career options for their students, and to see how classroom content is applied in the workplace.

In addition, UTMC used those meetings to gather feedback about how they can create engaging experiences for students in the future.

Kathy Boyd, senior vice president at UTMC, said that hosting teachers also had a positive impact on employees at the medical center.

“There were several of them who said ‘This reminds me of why I’m doing what I’m doing,’” Boyd said. “We wanted the teachers to walk away with something, but it really helped our team members as well.”

UTMC is also focused on building a workforce that reflects the diversity of East Tennessee, and sees the Academies initiative as a way to help students from underrepresented groups gain exposure to the industry.

Dr. Craig Pickett, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion for UTMC, said this effort is important not only from a corporate citizenship perspective, but also from a business standpoint.

“Studies show that when you have a diverse workforce it promotes innovation, creation, and discovery,” he said. “I think we can all attest to the fact that when you have diverse voices in the room, it brings diverse thoughts, opinions, and perspectives, and helps us grow as an organization.”

And ultimately, UTMC sees the Academies initiative as a chance to build the pipeline of students who pursue a mission that is both highly challenging and highly rewarding.

Gray said health care is best understood as a calling, rather than a career: “It’s the best job in the world. There’s no greater return on investment – none. I spent 17 years in school after high school, and I’d do it all over again.”

Interested in learning more about how your organization can be an 865 Academies partner? Visit knoxschools.org/academies for details.

Kaleigh Walker Great Educators, Student Success, Student Supports

Holston Middle Counselors Work to Support the Whole Child

When the Whole Child Support Team concept was introduced last year at Holston Middle, the counselors were ready to welcome the process with open arms. 

“Whole-child support means you’re looking at every piece of the child, so when a kid is struggling in math, for example, we dig deep into what else is going on in their life that might lead them to struggle in math,” said sixth-grade counselor Hannah Roberts.

In just over a year, Holston’s students have already seen significant improvements in behavior and academics.

Anjelica Nichols, the seventh-grade counselor, said at one point in time 35 seventh-graders were failing a class. In just two weeks of whole-child meetings and interventions, 70% of those students no longer had Fs. 

“If we hadn’t had everyone at the table with those different ideas or reached out to the students’ families, I don’t think we would have seen that much of a turnaround,” she said. “Everyone’s insight is needed to help the child be successful.”

When a teacher notices a change in a student, they are encouraged to refer them to the Whole-Child Support Team. Counselors then conduct a root-cause analysis and determine what additional supports are needed. 

Eighth-grade counselor Taylor Branson also emphasized the importance of echoing support at home.“Be as involved as possible, and do a ten-minute check-in with your kiddo every day,” she said. “If you have any questions about your student and want our perspective, reach out! We want to work together to build support around your kids.”