2024 Business Partnerships Of The Year
SPARK is pleased to announce the following Partnership of the Year recipients for 2024:
- George Mason University (EIP) & College Career Counseling;
- Lockheed Martin & Colgan High School;
- Prince William County Community Foundation & Student Services; and
- Carlos Castro, Todos Inc., as the 2024 Sharon Henry Partner in Education recipient.
2023 Business Partnerships Of The Year
SPARK is pleased to announce the following Partnership of the Year recipients for 2023:
- The Elks Lodge (Woodbridge) & Career and Technical Education (CTE);
- Bookworm Central & Patriot High School;
- Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund & Covington-Harper Elementary School; and
- Brett Freeze of Payton's Project as the 2023 Sharon Henry Partner in Education recipient.
2022 Business Partnerships of the Year
SPARK is pleased to announce the following Partnership of the Year recipients for 2022:
- The Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM) & Career and Technical Education (CTE);
- Park Valley Church & Mountain View Elementary School;
- The Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc., Dale City - PW Chapter & Minnieville Elementary School; and
- Radhika Bajaj of Bookworm Central as the 2022 Sharon Henry Partner in Education recipient.
2021 Business Partnership of the Year
In 2021, SPARK awarded Sentara Nothern Virginia Medical Center and the Prince William County Public School Practical Nursing program for their partnership that not only benefits students but the community at-large.
Novant/UVA Health Systems was chosen as the recipient of the 2021 Sharon Henry Community Partner of the Year for their coordination of COVID-19 vaccination locations serving the Greater Prince William community.
2020 Business Partnerships of the Year
AWS and River Oaks Elementary joined in a partnership to empower students to become knowledgeable, engaged citizens, and innovators. To do so, they established the world’s first AWS science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) Lab called the Think Big Space. This space provides students from all over the Division access to learn about augmented reality, artificial intelligence, machine learning, coding, and robotics.
Food Lion and Forest Park High’s partnership has provided students the opportunity to understand work-place readiness skills and how they are actualized in the real world. From mock interviews to practice job applications, this partnership aims to help students prepare for their Workplace Readiness Industry Certification. Since the partnership began in 2017, the Workplace Readiness Industry Certification pass rate at Forest Park has increased by 30%.
I-66 Express Mobility Partners partnered with PWCS this past year to sponsor the Prince William-Manassas Regional Science and Engineering Fair. The sponsorship was part of a more than $30,000 donation to the Division for STEM educational efforts. The partnership aims to strengthen the quality and quantity of student participation in future Science and Engineering Fairs as well as support the growth of STEM education in elementary schools.
2019 Business Partnerships of the Year
CroppMetcalfe, nominated by the Office of Career and Technical Education; Crossroads Connection, nominated by Tyler Elementary School; and The Links, Inc. Old Dominion Chapter, nominated by Minnieville Elementary School.
The Partner in Education Award, newly renamed to recognize the former SPARK Executive Director, is now the Sharon Henry Partner in Education Award. This award was presented to Bubbles Salon, nominated by Ashland Elementary School.
All of the winners and their nominators were recognized before the Prince William County School Board on Wednesday, June 5 and at the Superintendent's Business Breakfast on Thursday, October 24.
Congratulations to all award recipients and nominators!