C.O.R.E. Enhances First Choice At PVHS
Back in 2020, former Pequea Valley School District (PVSD) school board member Tim Malloy saw an opportunity in the grants offered by Arkema, the parent company of Sartomer, the specialty chemical company he works for in Exton. Focusing on PV's First Choice program, which endeavors to give each student opportunities to follow his or her first choice in a career path, and its C.O.R.E. (Career Occupation Relevancy Education) Academy, which teaches skill development while also offering integrated academic instruction, Malloy worked with principal John Trovato to submit an application.
Malloy and Trovato gathered information required by the Arkema Fund for Education, including details of the program and the equipment that C.O.R.E. teachers Rob King and Josiah Moon needed to teach the variety of skills as they determine their career paths. "I put the application in for $20,000," said Malloy, adding that the grant was submitted on Dec. 3, 2020. In January 2021, Arkema representatives in France, where the company is located, responded with interest in the program and a request for a budget. Trovato asked C.O.R.E. for a list of requests and a budget was submitted. In the middle of March 2021, Malloy was informed that a grant of 16,500 euros had been awarded. "I called John and said, 'Do you have a calculator?'" recalled Malloy. "I need you to do a conversion." He and Trovato were thrilled to learn that the grant was for nearly $20,000. Trovato reported that when all the contracts were signed and the bank transfers completed in August of 2021, the final total was more than $18,806.
King is pleased that the funds will help him to continue to introduce students to skills and trades they may not have considered. One way the academy has been reaching that goal is by working with ninth-grade students to build a tiny home located just outside the C.O.R.E. classroom. "We will finish it out with plumbing and electric," said King. "We are providing our students with an opportunity for hands-on career exploration." King noted that framing, drywalling, roofing, and installing siding are all part of the course. Inside the classroom, he pointed out a chair that students had designed and built. "They did prototypes, and we talked about manufacturing processes," said King, who noted that students would also learn about alternative energy and work toward small engine certification. "We are trying to expose the kids to (these skills) so they can figure out what they like," said King.
Malloy noted that more than 30% of PVSD graduates go on to further education. "We need to provide this alternative (for the others)," he said, adding that feedback from parents of C.O.R.E. students has been positive. "Parents said, '(My child) is now excited about going to school,'" he reported.
"PV is a special place," commented Trovato. "(Malloy) believes this so strongly, he advocates and pushes for us to get a grant, and Mr. King and his team keep coming up with new ideas to challenge these kids in different capacities to help them find their first choice."
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