Partnership Update - April 2023
Extending Two-Way Grace
Grace Covenant Church in Chantilly and Stone Middle School in Centreville have been extending two-way grace through an Ignite Partnership for 5 years.
FCPS Video Producer Jeff Clark visited with school and church leaders to document in this short video, each organization showing its support and appreciation for the other.
Used Vehicles from Airports Benefit Automotive Technology Learning
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) recently donated twenty-two used cars to Fairfax County Public Schools.
The donations came from MWAA’s abandoned vehicle inventory.
The vehicles are being dispersed to the 13 FCPS high school Auto Technology and Auto Collision classrooms where students will practice their auto technician and auto body repair skills.
- Roughly a third of all vehicles donated to FCPS are environmentally prepared by students for the scrap yard.
- Another third become practice tools (tune ups, brake jobs, collision repair, etc.) before being scrapped.
- The remaining salvageable ones of value are refurbished by students and sold through the Foundation for Applied Technical Education (FATE) Student Auto Sales (SAS) program.
As a part of their Ignite Partnership with FCPS, MWAA also shares career opportunities with students, especially those in the trades as MWAA regularly needs tradespeople as well as firefighters and law enforcement candidates.
Thank you MWAA for your generous donations!
Exploring Careers in the Health and Medical Science
Students attending West Potomac Governor’s Health Sciences Academy were recently visited by a host of local businesses and organizations who shared information about health and medical careers and the educational requirements necessary to land them.
The Career Prep Day included a professional guest speakers conference and presentations on associate jobs and specific career pathways, resume writing, tips for interviewing, mock interviews, lessons about online applications, professional communication, dress, and more.
The March event included representatives from:
- The Fairfax County Department of Public Safety and Communications
- Giant Pharmacy/Ahold Corporation
- George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
- Inova Health System
- Pacific Dental Services
What’s an Academy?
A high school academy is a center within an existing high school that offers advanced technical and specialized courses that integrate career and academic preparation. FCPS has six high school academies and each welcomes business and community partners.
To learn more about high school academy course offerings, visit any of the academy websites.
The Return On Investment (ROI) of Partnering
Organizational mission statements often include Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which you may wish to rebrand as Corporate Social Opportunity. Businesses include CSR because community engagement is measurable, as it bolsters a company’s bottom line.
It matters to employees: Volunteerism through community engagement adds to an employee’s sense of worth and can increase employee retention, while helping the community in which employees live and work. What else does the data say?
- 96% of companies find that employees who volunteer are more engaged than peers who don’t volunteer.
Source: Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship
- 71% of employees surveyed say it’s imperative or very important to work where culture is supportive of giving and volunteering.
Source: America’s Charities Snapshot Employer Research
It matters to employers: Leadership development is an often overlooked benefit to community engagement.
- 92% of surveyed corporate human resources executives agree that contributing business skills and expertise to a nonprofit can be an effective way to improve employees’ leadership and broader professional skill sets.
Source: America’s Charities Snapshot Employer Research
This newsletter and our Ignite Partnership’s Value Proposition demonstrates and outlines the public relations and marketing gains that can come from being an Ignite Partner. An Ignite Partnership can drive sales and/or increase client engagement.
EduTutorVA Hosts Inspiring Gala
Ignite Partner EduTutorVA’s Annual Gala at Army Navy Country Club in Arlington included a panel discussion involving tutors and a keynote from Nephrologist Dr. Francis Collins, who inspired others with his stories of continuous learning
EduTutorVA provides free individual or small-group high dosage tutoring by trained college undergraduate and graduate students, and alumni. FCPS students receive targeted support in core academic areas, and the tutors receive a positive introduction to the teaching profession and FCPS; what EduTutorVA calls Tutors to Teachers.
FCPS Hall of Fame
Join Educate Fairfax and FCPS to welcome the second class of inductees into the FCPS Hall of Fame! The Hall of Fame was established to honor distinguished alumni of Fairfax County Public Schools, who are positively impacting the world. This year’s class includes a war hero, a diplomat, a faith leader, entrepreneurs, a brain scientist, philanthropists, non-profit leaders and medical professionals! You can read about them on the Educate Fairfax website.
Educate Fairfax believes that our vibrant and successful school system contributes to a great quality of life here in Fairfax County. By highlighting amazing graduates, we are drawing the connection that tomorrow’s stellar community leaders, business owners, and servant leaders are currently students in our schools right now.
Educate Fairfax is here to make sure all of them have a path to success.
The celebration will be April 19, 2023, and tickets are available through this link.
We’re Open for Business and Community Partners
Businesses and community groups are encouraged to learn more about Business and Community Partnerships including our Ignite Partnerships program which offers eight ways for businesses and community partners to engage with FCPS.
One way is through an Arts Ignite Partnership. Recently the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) celebrated student artists through the arts element of their partnership by cutting the ribbon at our first MWAA Cares Youth Art Walk at Dulles International Airport.
At the airport student art is being exhibited, and the plan is to hang as many as two shows a year. The current exhibit will hang into the summer adjacent to the TSA Pre Check counter on ticketing level. Have a look.
