Warrington Prep gets $7M Triumph grant to train students, parents for high-wage jobs
Triumph Gulf Coast voted on Tuesday to provide $7.4 million to Warrington Preparatory Academy to support workforce development and provide industry certifications to students and parents in Escambia County.
The funding will also help cover physical improvements to the school, according to a Triumph Gulf Coast score sheet for the project.
Warrington Preparatory Academy opened this school year under Florida’s largest charter company, Charter Schools USA, after previously operating as Warrington Middle School under Escambia County Public Schools. The school changed hands at the state's direction following years of poor academic performance.
According to Charter Schools USA, the “Rocketing to the Future" workforce education program will result in students "earning stackable, proficiency-based industry credentials in career pathways for high skill/high wage jobs that are responsive to the needs of local employers.”
The program will offer hands-on activities from elementary through 12th grade and proposes 3,479 net new career and technical industry certifications in a 10-year time frame for students who participate. The school currently serves the sixth through eighth grade levels, but under its contract with the school district has the option of adding grade levels over time.
The planned program is estimated to cost Charter Schools USA over $10 million, but they have requested $7,454,867 in Triumph funds. The grant will cover the curriculum needed for the industry certification classes, personnel to teach them, classroom space renovations and equipment.
Workforce development is part of the Charter Schools USA model, and the charter currently operates 37 career/certification pathway programs in Florida schools.
Collier Merrill, the president/owner of Merrill Land Company and Great Southern Restaurants and Triumph Gulf Coast’s vice chair, said it was when he heard Charter School USA’s presentation that he knew his decision to approval the grant was clear. The rest of the board followed suit and approved the application unanimously.
Merrill said he was particularly moved by Tracey Saxon, Charter Schools USA director of school support, noting he could see the commitment she had to serving the Warrington community.
“That’s what really got me. It wasn’t just somebody trying to get some money, and make a profit. It was genuinely caring about the students, showing them what they need to do and giving them a path,” he said. “You do all this, and you’re going to come out with a certificate that is going to get you a job, or you can go into a traditional college or vocation school and continue that.
“It’s these children who might not have seen a way out and it’s a pain to go to school every day - they see why they’re doing it,” he added.
Not only will students be able to participate in the industry certifications, but parents who participate in the Parent University program will as well.
"WPA will work directly with parents through a Parent University program that provides education, and support services to family members of all level of incomes and abilities, single parents, married parents, blended families, grandparents raising their grandchildren, extended family members, caregivers, foster parents and more," Charter School USA’s Triumph application score sheet said.
Merrill credits Kim and Julian MacQueen for getting Parent University of Pensacola started, and said that they are now able to build on the concept with Warrington Prep in order to create a wide community impact.
“To me, it’s getting these young children, young students, excited about what they can do in the future. It comes quick, in four or five years, they (CSUSA) put 1,000 student through that, and over 1,000 at Parent University. That starts multiplying pretty quick. I think it will make a big difference,” he said.
The program is built around Florida’s top three industry areas: defense and homeland security, life sciences and professional services, per Charter School USA’s Triumph application score sheet.
Some of the training geared around cybersecurity, digital literacy, desktop application skills and Adobe Suite. The courses are designed to “stimulate a real-world professional environment and foster creativity and critical thinking.”
Program supporters are hopeful that these credentials will contribute to both parents and students in the community earning a sustainable wage and building financial stability. Triumph Gulf Coast staff rated the project an "A" in terms of economic impact, citing a $39 increase in household income per $1 of Triumph investment.
What is Triumph Gulf Coast?
Triumph Gulf Coast is a nonprofit created by Florida to distribute $1.5 billion in BP oil spill settlement funds to economic development projects in the eight Northwest Florida counties adversely impacted by the 2010 disaster.
Triumph Gulf Coast is made up of a seven-person board appointed by various senior state officials. The governor appoints one member of the board, the attorney general appoints one member, the chief financial officer appoints one member, the senate president appoints two members, and the house speaker appoints two members
PNJ reporter Jim Little contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Warrington Preparatory Academy approved for $7 million Triumph grant
