Regional business and community leaders took a brief recess from their busy work, family and community lives to say thanks to the region’s educational system leaders and honor 31 exemplary staff and volunteers.
The honors were presented as part of the Learn Here Project, an effort to showcase the educational system and its remarkable leaders to inspire others and attract people and businesses considering relocating or expanding in the region. A 20-minute virtual presentation celebrating 31 staff and volunteers and describing our educational system is available at www.iccbusiness.org.
“We are so appreciative by those who work so diligently in preparing our students,” said Chad Sessions of Real Living, The Real Estate Group. “Through their hard work and creativity, they are helping prepare our next generation of citizens, workers and leaders, which in turn, helps us grow our economy and community.”
Real Living is joined by Northwest Capital Mortgage, the Port of Vancouver USA and the business group Identity Clark County in supporting the Learn Here Project. The virtual presentation was completed with support from Waste Connections.
Real Heroes range from those who continued to provide daily meal service to hungry students through the pandemic, to business leader Henry Schuck of ZoomInfo who matched his employees’ donations to school resource centers.
Those honored as Real Heroes include:INSTITUTION Volunteer Staff BATTLE GROUND Kathy Deschner Salina Machida CAMAS Infinite Resource (Brian Cavill, Matthew Chase, Jon Crowell, Adam Webber, Bruce Whitefield) Tami Westmoreland CLARK COLLEGE Eric Merrill Heather Adams EVERGREEN Henry Schuck Jennifer Misfeldt, Hossein Akhtarhavari HOCKINSON Betsy McBride Shairn Villa INT’L AIR & HOSPITALITY ACADEMY Ann Dabbs, Laura Bauman LA CENTER Jim Cheskawich Danielle Rivers, Erin Uskoski RIDGEFIELD Meredith Gudger-Raines Austin Biel VANCOUVER Leilani Casanova-Brunell Tai Bainter WASHOUGAL Susan Bennett & Pat Suggs Brenda Hitchins WA STATE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND Kevin Danley Robin Williams WSU VANCOUVER Cline Frasier Obie Ford III
The region’s educational system is cited by many prospective residents and employers as a prime reason to locate in Clark County.
Clark County has about 80,000 students enrolled in K-12 programs, including novel environments such as schools specializing in healthcare and technology, and in developing career and technical skills through the Cascadia Technical Academy. Another 20,000 are enrolled in post-secondary programs including the Washington State University Vancouver research institution, two-campus Clark College and the private International Air & Hospitality Academy.
Clark County sets the pace statewide in participation of the Running Start program where about 2,000 high school juniors and seniors are taking coursework toward their Associate Degree at Clark College. It also stands apart in high school graduation rates and for the percentage of 25-34-year-old adults who have achieved an Associate Degree. Clark County also is home to statewide schools for the deaf and the blind and is known for its commitment to early childhood learning.
The Learn Here Project showcases our quality educational system and honors exemplary staff and volunteers, with cooperation from area educational institutions. The project is supported by Real Living, The Real Estate Group, Northwest Capital Mortgage and the Port of Vancouver USA. It is part of the Land Here, Live Here business growth initiative created and coordinated by the non-profit business leaders’ group Identity Clark County. More information is available from Identity Clark County at www.iccbusiness.org.
