The Academy of Technology and Innovation at the University of Mary Washington (ATI-UMW) opened its doors to its first cohort of high-schoolers last month, but last week’s dedication ceremony made it official.
“What you all will do is provide the leadership of tomorrow, and the commonwealth is so much better because of it,” Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin told students and their families who gathered, along with legislators, community officials, school board members and more, at the new regional lab school on UMW’s Stafford Campus. “You all are taking on a moment of acceleration in your lives, and that is what gets us so excited, not because of what we’re doing today but what we anticipate you all will do tomorrow … I can’t wait to see where you all will lead Virginia.”
Youngkin joined students in cutting the ceremonial ribbon, recognizing the inaugural year of the regional lab school that welcomed 80 ninth-graders from the City of Fredericksburg, as well as Caroline, King George, Orange and Stafford counties on the first day of classes last month. A string of speakers at the afternoon event praised partnerships, perseverance and the courage to say “yes” for bringing the vision to reality.
“This school is not a school that any one person has been a part of, but it is a school that our entire community has helped to create,” said ATI-UMW Executive Director Rebecca Towery. “I cannot thank our families and our students enough for being willing to take this leap with us and see not only the potential for benefit now but the potential for benefit to our community for years to come.”
University of Mary Washington President Troy Paino shared with the crowd his recollection of meeting with Gov. Youngkin, Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Rogstad Guidera and other Virginia college presidents in Richmond in early 2022 to discuss ideas for creating lab schools. Hard work and collaboration helped bring to fruition ATI-UMW, which centers on personalized, project-based learning tied to the increasing importance of technology in the workforce, from cybersecurity and political science to art, hospitality and fashion.
“We knew that this was really about providing high quality education to these students for the betterment of our democracy, not just to get a job, which is critically important, but also to serve our communities as citizens,” Paino said.
Approved by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) late last year, ATI-UMW offers options for dual-enrollment, industry certifications, advanced-placement and real-world coursework. The school supports a full spectrum of learners, including those in special-education and gifted-and-talented programs and English language learners.
“We know in today’s rapidly changing job market, the traditional path of academic achievement and learning isn’t completely sufficient to fill the void,” said Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Daniel P. Hornick, M.Ed. ’10. “This is the opportunity for our students to learn from the best and to have personalized learning focused on emerging technologies and the impact of technology on our future.”
UMW College of Education (COE) Dean Pete Kelly spoke of the reciprocal relationship between ATI-UMW and COE, whose faculty members contribute to the curriculum and engage in research specifically aimed at solving issues within the lab school. In turn, ATI-UMW will provide clinical experiences and practicums for COE’s teachers in training.
“I believe it is a school that will serve as a model demonstration site for effective teaching and learning in the region and in the state,” Kelly said. “It’s going to be the kind of place where I think you’re going to want to send your kids to learn.”
COE faculty provided ideas for a technology-rich maker space for multidisciplinary collaboration inside ATI-UMW, which the governor and others explored during yesterday’s ceremony, with a sneak peek at student projects – a mixture of science and art – already on display.
Secretary Guidera praised the two-and-a-half-yearlong effort that led to the ceremony – and the school.
“This is about making sure that we are seeing every child and we are meeting them where they are … and we are getting them set up for success,” she said. “Thank you for having the guts to do this.”
Buoyed by a $2 million start-up grant from the Virginia Department of Education, ATI-UMW was able to acquire new carpet, cable, wall wraps and furniture to enhance instruction, and the library was redesigned to maximize communal learning zones.
“We’re confident this will help elevate our region’s level of education among our high-schoolers,” said UMW Board of Visitors Rector Lee Murray ’04, show calls Fredericksburg home. “I can tell you the level of excitement here in the area is high.”
Stafford County School Board member Susan Randall agreed that the lab school is a community collaboration that took courage. “We needed a higher ed place to say ‘yes.’ We needed county school systems to say ‘yes.’ In addition, we needed a director who would guide us all to this vision, and Dr. Towery said ‘yes.’ We added community organizations who said ‘yes.’ We added businesses who said ‘yes.’ And then we added the most important part – our families and our students – and they said ‘yes’ to something they had never known. They were willing to say ‘yes,’ step out and try it.”
The school’s outside partnerships and its staff of full- and part-time teachers who bring industry knowledge and fresh approaches to education, promise to fuel an environment of creativity and ultimate success.
“Our teachers stepped up to envision what school could be, bringing tremendous passion and expertise to our classrooms,” Towery said. “Each day, they are working to make sure that our students receive an education that is relevant and applicable to the world around them, providing interdisciplinary, project-based learning experiences to every student.”
And if the teachers are stars, so are the students, whom Gov. Youngkin called pioneers.
“To the students of the academy, we are so excited that you are with us and so honored by your choice to make this your educational home this year and in the years to come,” said UMW Provost Tim O’Donnell. “May you relish this charge and continue to lead the way.”
