Leaders of two Arkansas school districts and an electrical power utility shared a podium Wednesday to announce that Entergy Arkansas will partner with two high schools to provide courses of study in the field of energy.
The partnerships are between Entergy Arkansas and Little Rock's Hall STEAM Magnet High, and Entergy Arkansas and Joe T. Robinson High in the Pulaski County Special School District.
"This is a great day because we get to announce our long-awaited energy pathways," Laura Landreaux, president and chief executive officer of Entergy Arkansas, told an audience of utility employees as well as faculty and students from the two school districts at the utility's west Little Rock operation.
Landreaux said the academic alliances between the utility and the two schools "are near and dear to the hearts" of Entergy's more than 700 employees in central Arkansas, to their families and to the economic well being of the community.
The energy pathways will incorporate nationally developed energy curriculum, as well as provide guest speakers, equipment and safety demonstrations, and field trips. Students will gain exposure to energy industry careers, will have the opportunity to network with Entergy employees, and will hone their skills for a future career in the utilities sector or other careers in science and technology fields.
Additionally, Entergy Arkansas will work with academy coaches at both high schools to identify the resources needed, learning opportunities and relevant industry certifications.
"Students will also learn what the industry is doing here in Arkansas, including the latest advancements in technology to modernize the electric grid and transform the industry with cleaner more sustainable [resources] to serve our customers," Landreaux said.
The courses of study in the energy field at the two high schools are part of broader business and industry academies that are being established in all of Pulaski County's traditional public high schools.
At Robinson High, for example, the energy pathway will be part of the school's overarching Academy of Science and Technology, Kristin Herring, lead career academy coach for the Pulaski County Special district, said.
In addition to the energy studies, the Robinson academy will also feature pathways in industrial technology, computer science, cybersecurity, nutrition and dietetics, and health sciences, Herring said.
Hall's academies are in engineering and health sciences.
The multi-year formation of the high school academies and their pathways was initiated by the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce in 2019.
The pairing of schools and businesses is built on the Ford Next Generation Learning model, which is a national model for blending academics with career and technical education. More than 40 communities across the nation, including Louisville, Ky., and Nashville, Tenn., have adopted the model.
Now known as The Career Academies of Central Arkansas, the academies in the Little Rock, North Little Rock, Pulaski County Special and Jacksonville/North Pulaski districts are intended to help students see the relevance of traditional school subjects through the lens of career fields.
Entergy Arkansas has been involved in the planning of the Pulaski County academies from the start, at one point providing $50,000 to conduct the initial feasibility study.
"I've watched in amazement as local schools and businesses have come together to create these academies and the courses that will enrich the lives of our students and provide them with a quality education for whatever path life takes them on," Landreaux said.
She challenged students, including Ayden Merritt, a ninth-grader at Robinson, and Zaelyn Horton, a 10th-grader at Hall, to make the best of the opportunities provided by the pathways. Both students who spoke at the Wednesday event said they are using their high school courses to prepare for careers in engineering.
Little Rock Superintendent Jermall Wright called the energy pathway "another exciting opportunity for our students to get hands-on, real-world, relevant learning and to be well-prepared for high-wage careers in the global market place and right here at home."
Entergy's slogan is "We power life for today and for the future generations," Wright said.
"I can't think of a better demonstration of that than what we are announcing today," he said.
Markous Jewett, vice president of Academies of Central Arkansas, said business partners are still being sought for the different high schools.
"We are seeking businesses ... that actually partner and engage with the school, teachers and their students. We are looking for companies that will truly invest their time and their talent into our public schools. That is exactly what Entergy Arkansas has done from Day One," he said.