Page 10 - SRNS Today March 2022

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Investment in STEM-related AP classes

n hopes of strengthening local workforce job pipelines, SRNS advanced courses, the opposite is true: most students scoring a 1 or THE PEOPLE OF SRNS
partnered with the Aiken County Public School District (ACPSD) a 2 in their sophomore or junior years proceed to take additional AP
I to increase the number of students participating in STEM-related classes in following years, and the majority obtain improved scores on Lee Sims serves as the Facility Manager (FM) for the K Area Complex (KAC)
Advanced Placement (AP) classes. A three-year agreement ended in their subsequent AP Exams,” The Elective wrote in A Broader View of and is responsible for the safe storage and processing of the DOE-EM/NNSA
2019 with outstanding results; moreover, AP enrollment in targeted College Readiness. surplus plutonium inventory. This includes oversight of continued plutonium
schools remains substantially high despite overall enrollment challenges. “It’s a new paradigm that’s leading to highly constructive change consolidation efforts from both domestic and international sources.

The partnership, which included the National Math and Science within Aiken County high schools. The focus of this three-year effort Prior to his current role as FM, Sims worked as the Deputy Facility Manager
Initiative, encouraged and provided incentives to students at South was to radically increase the number of students electing to pursue and the Program/Project Integration Manager roles within the KAC. Before
Aiken and North Augusta high schools participating in STEM-related an academic challenge,” said Mitchell. “The results of this program coming to KAC, he spent over 10 years in H Canyon and HB Line in
AP coursework. This would better prepare local students for post- have been excellent. Teachers were provided the resources they progressive management roles.
secondary STEM performance and, over time, significantly increase the needed, including valuable training. After completing an AP class, In addition to leading critical missions in K Area facilities, Sims has been
number of qualified candidates for positions at SRS. hard-working students received $100 rewards during large, festive an important asset to local organizations making an impact for those in
“The successful completion of AP courses leading to college credit is celebrations.” need in Aiken County. He spent three years serving on the United Way of
a recognized benchmark of success throughout public school systems Mitchell also said there has been a ripple effect, in that much of Aiken County Board of Directors as the Chair of the Young Philanthropists
in the U.S. Unfortunately, only a low percentage of students have the success obtained during the first three years of the program Society and has recently begun supporting Area Churches Together Serving
(ACTS), who served in the trenches with those needing assistance during
been encouraged to participate,” said Kim Mitchell, SRNS Education continues today, long after external funding ceased. “We value the pandemic. “It has been a pleasure to work with Lee Sims who recently
Outreach Programs Lead. “An SRNS donation of $364,000 helped fund the opportunity to support local schools and influence our future Lee Sims joined the ACTS board of directors in January 2022,” said Suzanne Jackson,
this program at South Aiken and North Augusta high schools on the workforce. It is rewarding to see the long-term impact of the ACTS Executive Director. “He has stepped into his role with enthusiasm for
premise that students who traditionally would not have been considered collaboration,” she added. our mission and the work we perform in the community. [Sims] embraces his
strong candidates for an AP program would benefit in several ways by “The partnership with SRNS has been of great value to South Aiken position as board member and has willingly taken on additional leadership
participating.” students, faculty and the community at large,” said Samuel Fuller, AT SRNS: Facilities Manager for K Area Complex responsibilities. I couldn’t be more thrilled to have Lee join our leadership
Mitchell explained research studies show that students who had Principal at South Aiken High School. “Because of the investment team where he can share his vision as a dedicated volunteer.”
previously been restricted from Advanced Placement coursework in education made by SRNS, access to Advanced Placement STEM IN THE COMMUNITY: Board member of United Way of Sims is a 2002 graduate in Chemical Engineering from the University of
experienced a positive change in academic aptitude, attitude and self- coursework has been made available to all students. This access has Aiken County and Chair of Young Philanthropist Society, South Carolina. He enjoys spending time with his wife Mandy and children
image after participating in one or more AP classes. resulted in tangible outcomes with more students being prepared for Board member of Area Churches Together Serving Barrett and Baylee; they volunteer in the community together and cheer for
To earn subsequent college credit, students must earn a score of 3, 4 -- and experiencing -- success in college.” the South Carolina Gamecocks.
or 5 on an AP exam. Scores of 1 and 2 are not considered eligible for According to Fuller, the most valuable result of this partnership has
college credit, although research has determined that scores of 1 and 2 been a shift in culture throughout participating schools. “Even during
still have distinct value. a pandemic, we have seen continued high levels of participation in
“A new analysis of AP students who score a 2 on the exam shows that Advanced Placement courses that far exceed what we experienced Presenting IDEAS to Aiken
they are more likely than similar students to enroll in college and more prior to our partnership with SRNS. This is evidence that we are
likely to perform well in their introductory classes. And despite fears truly an Advanced Placement Academy breaking down barriers and Chamber of Commerce
that a score of 1 or 2 will discourage students from taking further providing access and opportunity for all our students,” he added.
SRNS employees recently presented their award winning IDEAS
employee suggestion program to a group attending “Caffeinated
Kacee Poppy (left), a teacher for
South Aiken High School’s Chemistry Conversations” at the Aiken Chamber of Commerce.
Honors Class, provides assistance SRNS presenters demonstrated the benefits of the company’s IDEAS
to Da’Taviah Mickens (center) and Program, including improved morale and increased productivity, as
Hannah Stroman, as they work well as process and safety-related improvements. They also outlined
as a team on an experiment.
several tips on how chamber members could implement a similar
program.
“We believe it’s one of many ways we can share our best practices SRNS IDEAS Program representatives Blake Leaphart (left), Lisa Steed and P.K.
within the community,” said P.K. Hightower, Director of Interface Hightower (right) speak at the Aiken Chamber of Commerce.
Management & Manager, Continuous Improvement. “And the Chamber
likes the concept, because it’s something applicable to small-and designed for a very large company, but the elements of it can be
medium-sized companies, as well.”
applied to a company of any size, down to three or four employees.
Blake Leaphart and Lisa Steed, both with the SRNS IDEAS Program, I think today’s participants walked away with thought provoking ideas
provided guidance and shared their personal experiences related to for implementation within their own businesses.”
this and other employee suggestion programs. Jameson said that after experiencing the last two years of the
“What I saw today is a program that has been in place for seven COVID-19 pandemic, today’s attendees welcomed and valued
decades and has evolved to keep up with the times,” said David employee ideas more than ever. “It’s this type of program that will help
Jameson, Aiken Chamber of Commerce President and CEO. “It was them move from simply surviving to growing and thriving,” he added.