{"id":15215,"date":"2026-05-21T15:23:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T19:23:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/?p=15215"},"modified":"2026-05-21T15:41:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T19:41:55","slug":"vbcps-celebrates-amazon-partnership-and-grand-opening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/vbcps-celebrates-amazon-partnership-and-grand-opening\/","title":{"rendered":"VBCPS celebrates Amazon partnership and grand opening"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
During the grand opening celebration of its new robotics fulfillment center, Amazon presented VBCPS with a check for $50,000 to support STEM initiatives.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Cindy Butler Focke<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Amazon Site Leader Julien Allenne led a tour of the new Amazon facility during the company\u2019s grand opening celebration May 15.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Amazon Site Leader Julien Allenne delivered good news to guests who gathered at the new Amazon robotics fulfillment center in Virginia Beach May 15.<\/p>\n

The new 3.2 million square-foot facility employing more than 1,000 full-time employees is officially open.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe came to town to be a good neighbor,\u201d said Allenne, who helped launch the first Amazon robotics center in his native country of France in 2019.<\/p>\n

Allenne said Amazon strives to make an impact on surrounding communities through partnerships, including local educational institutions.<\/p>\n

VBCPS Superintendent Dr. Donald E. Robertson Jr. accepted a ceremonial check for $50,000 from Amazon to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Math(STEM) initiatives.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Thanks to Amazon, the VBCPS community resource truck. \u201cThe Beacon,\u201d will bring STEM activities into the community this summer.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A new community resource truck, \u201cThe Beacon,\u201d will assist the VBCPS Office of Family and Community Engagement (FACE) in bringing STEM activities and educational experiences into community settings.<\/p>\n

The truck and mascot \u201cShelly\u201d the sea turtle will travel throughout Virginia Beach this summer. Students may explore basic engineering concepts by creating 3D printed objects, learning to code using robots and lots more.<\/p>\n

The Beacon will also bring resources out into the community, including academic support, health and wellness services, parent learning opportunities and tools that promote student success.<\/p>\n

Funds from Amazon will also provide middle school technology educators with blueprint engineering kits and other tools to teach mechanical and electrical engineering and help build a foundation for robotics.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Dwight Tennyson, a Kellam High School and Norfolk State University graduate, has worked for Amazon for about six years. He explained to guests how robots are used to transport shipping containers full of Amazon packages to trucks for delivery to consumers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Amazon Head of Virginia Public Policy Lindsay Winter hosted the grand opening celebration. She welcomed more than 50 guests to \u201cour most advanced and innovative facility\u201d and introduced several dignitaries, including Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer.<\/p>\n

Dyer spoke about the center\u2019s use of technology and its positive economic impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmazon is leading the way,\u201d he said. \u201cWe value this partnership.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, guests were treated by Allenne and Amazon colleagues to a behind-the-scenes guided tour of the five-story building.<\/p>\n

Donned in neon orange safety vests and shoe protectors, visitors witnessed how products move via robots to be packaged by employees, travel on conveyer belts toward shipping containers and carried by robots to be loaded onto trucks.<\/p>\n

Hundreds of thousands of boxes are shipped daily.\u00a0 Technology improves proficiency and speed, Allenne explained.<\/p>\n

Amazon Vice President of U.S. Public Policy Andrea Fava said the company is dedicated to making an impact in Hampton Roads.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are committed to the communities where our employees live and work,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

FACE Director Dr. Admon Alexander thanked Amazon for the continued partnership and support.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir contributions make a meaningful difference for our students, families and staff, while helping strengthen connections across our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0Request The Beacon at your next event<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
VBCPS Superintendent Dr. Donald Robertson Jr. and School Board member Mark Bohenstiel attended the grand opening of the new Amazon robotics fulfillment center May 15.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dignitaries, including Virginia Beach mayor Bobby Dyer, spoke during Amazon\u2019s grand opening celebration May 15.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Hundreds of thousands of products are packed and shipped daily from the new Amazon facility in Virginia Beach.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Guests attending Amazon\u2019s grand opening ceremony were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the new facility.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Amazon hosted a grand opening for its new Virginia Beach 3.2 million square foot facility on May 15. VBCPS\u2019 partnership with the company will help bring STEM initiatives to students and the community.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Cindy Butler Focke Amazon Site Leader Julien Allenne delivered good news to guests who gathered at the new Amazon robotics fulfillment center in Virginia Beach May 15. The new […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":15223,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15215","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-connections","category-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15215"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15215\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15233,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15215\/revisions\/15233"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15215"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}