Each year, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and Virginia Community College System (VCCS) honor exemplary career and technical education programs and partnerships with Virginia Career and Technical Education Creating Excellence Awards. Awards are presented in three categories – advisory committee, business and industry partnership, and programs – and VBCPS was among the honorees recognized at a celebration June 9 in Richmond.

The school division received the Advisory Committee Award for Region 2 and the state for the work of the Virginia Beach Technical and Career Education Center’s Welding Advisory Committee. VBCPS was also recognized with the Program Award for Region 2 for its Workplace Readiness Skills Literacy Gameplan.

According to the Virginia Department of Education’s Office of Career and Technical Education, the goals of the Creating Excellence Awards program are to:

• promote improvement in academic achievement and technical skills attainment;
• strengthen connections between secondary and postsecondary education;
• prepare students for successful transition from high school to further education and careers; and
• create partnerships that support, promote, and enhance Virginia’s workforce and economy.

A complete list of the 21 Creating Excellence Awards honorees is available online.