Oak Ridge School District Receives $15K for Naval National Defense Cadet Corp

Oak Ridge Schools Advisory Board met on Friday, December 9^th to engage community and industry leaders in informative sessions highlighting new programs in our schools. We had the pleasure of hearing from three guests. Retired Navy Captain, Gene Sievers of Consolidated Nuclear Security Y-12 spoke about his experience in the Navy and introduced the importance of our new Naval Sciences curriculum. We invited several classes of students to hear Captain Sievers, in hopes of recruiting students to our new Naval National Defense Cadet Corp course. Gordon Williams of Roane State Community College gave an overview of the mechatronics engineering dual enrollment courses we offer to Oak Ridge High School students/ Adam White of Secret City Dodge Jeep elaborated about the benefits of training students in high school for careers in automotive maintenance and light repair.

As a kickoff to the meeting, Jessica Steed, Executive Director of Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation (ORPSEF) along with Kristin Waldschlager and Gene Sievers (both of CNS Y-12), presented a check for $15,000.00 to Oak Ridge Schools to implement the new Naval National Defense Cadet Corp program in our high school. According to Jessica Steed, “Consolidated Nuclear Security’s contribution to offset the Navy National Defense Cadet Corp program’s startup costs is an outstanding example of key stakeholders working with school officials to benefit students in Oak Ridge Schools. This program gives students another opportunity to graduate on a pathway equipped for success.”

In appreciation of the donation, Superintendent Bruce Borchers states, “We are so pleased and thankful for the partnership that we have with the Education Foundation and CNS Y-12. The CNS Y-12 donation will help the Oak Ridge Schools pay for the startup cost for our new Navy NNDCC program starting next year at ORHS. This new program will lead to more of our students attaining the Seventh Key in our Seven Keys to College and Career Reediness. We look forward to working with CNS Y-12 now and in the future as we strive to make this one of the best Navy NNDCC programs in the country.”