Dr. Betty A. Rosa Visits Mt. Vernon High School

MOUNT VERNON – Dr. Betty A. Rosa, Commissioner of Education & President of the University of the State of New York, visited Mount Vernon High School and Mount Vernon STEAM Academy on Friday, October 17. Here, she got a glimpse into the schools and their programs, such as Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

Dr. Rosa was joined by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Demario Strickland and New York State Monitor Dr. Kimberly Young Wilkins. The purpose of this visit was for Dr. Rosa to meet new administration and board leaders.

The morning started off with a visit to MVHS, where Dr. Rosa was greeted by students and staff welcoming her with warm smiles. Senior Sophya Calixto and junior Shanelle Mclntosh, alongside Principal Dr. Pauline Pearce and CTE Director Brian Simmons, gave Dr. Rosa a tour of the high school.

While walking the hallways, Dr. Rosa asked the students questions about their post-secondary goals and how they are adjusting to the school year. She also informed the students about exciting STEAM initiatives in New York State, inviting them to join.

The group’s first stop was the CTE wing; stopping in the automotive class, where they got a glimpse into what students are currently learning about. The group visited additional CTE classes, such as hospitality and cosmetology. Their last classroom visit was to an art class, where Dr. Rosa asked students about what projects they were working on.

Heading over to STEAM Academy, Principal Christopher Pearce led the group to Eric Chambers’ art class, where they were working on their graffiti projects. To read more about this initiative, click here.

The second and final stop the group made at STEAM was to attend an AP United States History class, where the group was learning about varying laws and regulations throughout states in the 1800s.

Dr. Rosa will be visiting again later this year, where she will visit additional schools to gain further insight into the District.