Page 11 - SRNS Today March 2022
P. 11

10   |   SRNS TODAY   |   MARCH 2022                                                     MARCH 2022    |   SRNS TODAY   |   11

 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.
   6   7   8   9   10   11   12