An innovative partnership between Valley Health, the region’s not-for-profit
health system, and eight public school districts has earned recognition
from Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe. On the night of October 26 at
the Executive Mansion in Richmond, a delegation from Valley Health and
the school districts was among 13 finalists honored for the inaugural
Governor’s Award for Excellence and Innovation in Education, recognizing
outstanding education professionals, teams of professionals, community
partnerships, schools and divisions for excellence and achievement in
a variety of categories.
The Community Partnership for Health Sciences Education and one of its
projects – “Worlds of Work”, or “WOW”—were
each nominated and among the 13 finalists. The Partnership works to enhance
and expand current health sciences education programs in northwest Virginia’s
high schools, create more dual-enrolled high school courses for college
credit, align more closely with the needs of local healthcare employers,
and build a pipeline of aspiring high school graduates with the right
skills and knowledge to pursue careers in the healthcare industry. An
annual one-week Health Sciences Academy draws motivated students from
each high school and is one of the partnership’s signature events.
The unique community collaboration developed from conversations between
Valley Health President and CEO Mark H. Merrill and Rick Leonard, then-Superintendent
of Winchester Public Schools, and was officially launched in April 2013.
The partnership united Valley Health and school systems in Clarke, Frederick,
Page, Shenandoah, Warren Counties, the City of Winchester, Lord Fairfax
Community College and Shenandoah University in an effort to expand the
health sciences curriculum in area high schools and institutions of higher
learning, and create pathways for students interested in pursuing health
science careers. (Rappahannock County has since joined the effort.) Valley
Health made an initial investment of $300,000 to kick start the collaborative.
“It’s an absolute honor and privilege to receive one of the
first Governor’s Awards for Excellence and Innovation in Education,”
said Mark H. Merrill, Valley Health President and CEO, and co-chairman
of the Partnership. “Our group is singularly focused on creating
awareness and interest in a range of healthcare careers, and then creating
a pathway for each student to receive the education and guidance to achieve
meaningful, gainful employment in the northern Shenandoah Valley. Everyone
benefits: Valley Health, area schools and the students.”
“It’s an honor for the Partnership to be recognized as a model
for providing trailblazing innovations and pathways to success for our
students in the Northern Shenandoah Valley,” said Partnership co-chair
Doug Joyner, EdD, Coordinator of Student Services, Winchester Public Schools.
“We deeply appreciate the dedication of each of our partners in
preparing and providing education and employment opportunities for a highly-trained
health sciences workforce.”
Katie Rice, CTE/STEM Supervisor for Shenandoah County Schools, values the
Partnership for creating a shared sense of purpose. “It’s
been huge for us to have this level of conversation between the health
system and school districts. Because we meet consistently, we’ve
developed relationships and know who to reach out to. Having the region’s
largest employer tell us its needs has helped us grow programs to guide
students to employment opportunities.”
More than 120 nominations were submitted from around the state for the
Governor’s Award.