Washington County School
District CTE Team (UT) and Jason Van Nus (GA) Recognized for Their
Impactful Contributions to Student Success
AMERICAN
FORK, Utah, Aug. 13,
2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- YouScience®, the leading
technology provider dedicated to bridging the skills gap for
students and employers, proudly announces the latest winners of The
YouScience Innovative Educator Award. The recipients, Jason Van
Nus, Lowndes County Schools in
Georgia, and Jon Butler, Michael
Hassler, and Helene Morse
from the Washington County School
District in Utah, demonstrated
remarkable dedication to student empowerment and career readiness,
setting new standards for educational innovation.
"YouScience has become the sharpest arrow
in my quiver, allowing me to place students in environments where
they thrive and contribute meaningfully to the economy." – Jason
Van Nus, Director, Work-Based Learning, Lowndes County Schools, Georgia
Washington County School
District CTE Team: Making pathways meaningful
Comprising educators Michael
Hassler, Helene Morse, and
Jon Butler, the Washington County School District CTE Team has
revolutionized the approach to career and technical education in
Utah. They were the first district
in the state to integrate YouScience into their college and career
readiness programs, starting in 7th grade. This initiative, which
has been in place for five years, empowers students to discover
their strengths and explore career paths through project-based
learning focused on Utah's career
clusters.
"Our goal is to transform the educational experience by shifting
the focus from test scores to the students themselves," said
Hassler. "We want every child to see their potential and pursue
their passions. YouScience gives our students hope and direction,
helping them to understand what they're good at and how they can
excel."
Through a collaborative effort, Helene
Morse excels in communication with CTE teachers,
Jon Butler builds robust pathways,
and Michael Hassler connects
students with real-world internship opportunities. Their innovative
approach has made career pathways a vibrant part of the school
culture, fostering a sense of unity and excitement among students,
parents, and teachers alike.
"From the beginning, College and Career Awareness (CCA) teachers
saw the value of incorporating YouScience and, without hesitation,
utilized the program to help students start thinking about their
pathway journey," said Morse. "Without the CCA teachers' buy-in and
their efforts from the start, we wouldn't be where we are
today."
The district's commitment to student success has contributed to
the creation of a new CTE high school, where students can start as
early as 9th grade to align their coursework with their career
interests. This forward-thinking approach not only provides
students with valuable trade skills but also instills a sense of
purpose and belonging, essential for developing great contributing
citizens of the community.
"Every person has a purpose, and we help students find theirs,"
said Morse. "By focusing on pathways and creating meaningful
connections between education and industry, we prepare students to
become valuable assets in the workforce."
Jason Van Nus: Pioneering Work-Based Learning in Georgia
Jason Van Nus, the Director of work-based learning and Youth
Apprenticeship Programs for Lowndes
County Schools in Georgia,
has been a transformative force in connecting education with
industry. His use of YouScience over the past three years has
redefined how students engage with career exploration and
preparation.
"I arrived at my advocacy for YouScience organically, seeing its
unparalleled value firsthand," said Van Nus. "It has become the
sharpest arrow in my quiver, allowing me to place students in
environments where they thrive and contribute meaningfully to the
economy."
One of Van Nus' innovative initiatives is what he calls a
Reverse Career Fair, where students learn to advocate for
themselves by presenting and pitching their skills and interests to
potential employers. This unique approach has received positive
feedback from employers, highlighting its effectiveness in bridging
the gap between education and industry needs.
His passion for using high school talent as a solution to labor
shortages has garnered him recognition as Georgia's ACTE Teacher of the Year, and he is
a contender for ACTE's National Teacher of the Year Award which
will be decided in December 2024. Van
Nus emphasizes the importance of speaking the language of industry,
focusing on return on investment, and creating opportunities for
students to become returnable assets in their communities.
"As a gentle disruptor, my mission is to challenge traditional
education norms and demonstrate the power of connecting students
with real-world opportunities," said Van Nus. "By leveraging
YouScience, we're not just preparing students for jobs; we're
equipping them to be future leaders."
Celebrating Educational Excellence
The YouScience Innovative Educator Award recognizes educators
who implement forward-thinking approaches to inspire the next
generation of professionals through academic and career
exploration.
"At YouScience, we believe that every student deserves the
opportunity to discover their unique talents and pursue their
passions," said Edson Barton, CEO of
YouScience. "The Washington County CTE Team and Jason Van Nus
exemplify this belief by transforming education into a dynamic
journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Their innovative
approaches have not only inspired students but have also set a new
benchmark for what education can achieve. We celebrate their
achievements and look forward to seeing how they continue to shape
the future of education."
YouScience encourages educators, students, and parents to
nominate deserving candidates who champion career exploration
through YouScience products for future awards. Nominations can be
submitted by completing this submission form.
To learn more about YouScience, please visit youscience.com.
About YouScience
YouScience® is the leading technology provider dedicated to
solving the skills and exposure gap crisis for students and
employers. Its end-to-end platform, YouScience® Brightpath,
connects education with career applications designed to help
students unlock their potential for future pathways. YouScience
leverages proven research, artificial intelligence, and industry
input to help individuals identify their aptitudes, validate their
skills and knowledge, and get matched with real-world educational
and career pathways in high-demand occupations. YouScience is the
preferred choice of individuals, parents, educators, and counselors
to guide and support educational and career pathways, currently
serving more than 11,500 educational institutions and millions of
users nationwide.
Media Contact
Lindsay Hull
Zer0 to 5ive for YouScience
lindsay@0to5.com
Media Contact
Lindsay Hull, YouScience, 1
860.707.9461, Lindsay@0to5.com, https://www.youscience.com/
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SOURCE YouScience