Richland One, USC Launch Partnership To Establish Pre-Engineering Program at Keenan

Officials with Richland School District One and the University of South Carolina signed a Memorandum of Agreement today creating a partnership to implement a pre-engineering program at W.J. Keenan High School.

The mission of Keenan’s Project REAL (Raider Engineering and Academic Leadership) is to actively engage students in math and science courses that are enriched with engineering applications to increase their academic performance in math, science, engineering and technology-related fields at the post-secondary level.

Through the partnership, Keenan students will be exposed to a rigorous curriculum based on high standards and the expectation that all students will achieve at high levels in math and science. The collaboration with USC will widen course offerings at Keenan to include pre-engineering courses. In addition, USC will provide opportunities for Keenan students to earn dual credit by taking college courses at no cost except the initial registration fee.

As public resources continue to diminish, it is essential that efforts to collaborate on critical objectives be aggressively pursued," said Richland One Superintendent Dr. Ronald Epps. "This project will provide significant headway in developing a seamlessness between secondary education and higher education that will work to the advantage of students and parents."

Richland One and USC also will share staff and facilities to achieve the goals of the program, which will begin in the 2003-04 school year.

Students participating in Project REAL must complete the prescribed curriculum with an overall GPA of at least 3.0 in order to receive a special diploma. They also must complete a community service class or approved project. Project REAL students will be given opportunities to participate in internships, mentoring programs, research projects with USC faculty and students, engineering competitions.

This collaboration and partnership is really going to transform Keenan High School," said Keenan principal Dr. Steve Wilson. "The rigor of the curriculum is going to help in terms of academic achievement. If our students take full advantage of this collaboration, they will benefit tremendously."

By aligning the school’s math and science curricula with post-secondary institutions’ coursework, Keenan students will graduate with competencies required to transition into post-secondary engineering programs. Professional development activities for Keenan teachers will be targeted at improving student achievement in math and science. Each summer USC will offer one or more courses for which teachers can earn graduate credit.

"Cooperation between the K-12 and postsecondary education systems is essential for the success of public education in South Carolina," said USC President Dr. Andrew Sorensen. "The two systems are interdependent and must work together to ensure that students get the education they deserve and that our state realizes the economic benefits of a trained workforce. "

"This partnership between Carolina and Richland One is an example of that cooperation, and we look forward to forging even stronger ties with the public schools and making this program a model for the state," Sorensen said.