The Roanoke Rapids Graded School District has applied for a $180,000 grant to increase Career Technical Education (CTE) programs for students. The grant, through the North Carolina Education and Workforce Innovation fund, will allow the District to purchase equipment and instructional supplies to begin offering welding, masonry, and/or electrical trades at RRHS.
RRGSD Trustees voted unanimously Tuesday night to provide the necessary $60,000 in matching funds should the grant be approved. The grant is aimed at developing innovative programs that will lead to more students graduating career and college ready.
“This is a step in the right direction for our high school. Local employers have asked us for years to provide them with workers they can put on the payroll right out of high school. By expanding our offerings and eventually opening a CTE Center across from Roanoke Rapids High School, we will be able to do that,” said Dr. Dain Butler, Superintendent.
Roanoke Rapids High School currently serves nearly 700 students. More than 550 of them are enrolled in one or more CTE programs including carpentry, marketing & business, EMT, and health sciences training.
The Roanoke Rapids Schools Foundation, a nonprofit organization supported by donors committed to enhancing programs within RRGSD, is hoping to raise more than $6 million dollars in the coming years to build a new CTE Center on the high school campus to offer an array of additional hands-on technical education programs.
“This is a must for the future growth of this community. We’re aggressively seeking donors and visionaries who will help us make this building a reality for our students,” said Jay Carlisle, RR Schools Foundation Chair.
Roanoke Rapids Graded School District was awarded the Workforce Innovation grant for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years. Grant awards are expected to be announced this fall.