<Monroe /> COMPUTE$ FOURTH AWARDS WEEK

MOS, Milestones, and Money

MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – It was a week filled with Microsoft, milestones and money for Monroe County School District students.  “Monroe County students earned over $20,000 in cash incentives again this week,” Superintendent Mark Porter announced.  “One hundred and sixty-two students earned industry certifications in various computer science courses and received $50 to $500 cash incentive prizes from <Monroe /> COMPUTE$ during the 4th Awards Presentation for this school year.”

“Students earned certifications in Microsoft Office, Adobe and the IC3 Digital Literacy program, starting as early as 5th grade,” Porter continued.  “Almost 500 certificates have been so far, and we are well on our way to our target of 1,000 for this school year.  Students are working towards the 5th Awards Week which will run through the end of June.”

“We have had a very productive and exciting industry certification cycle,” Career and Technical Education Director, Dr. Jerry Caputo announced, “our students earned 83 certifications that require passing scores in three individual certifications, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.”  Caputo also noted that students earned over 50 certifications in Adobe products, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro.

“Plantation Key School students Kelmer Gomez and Brookelyn Zlockie became the first elementary school students in the district to earn an industry certification, ” explained Sibba Mira, who is the District Career and Technical Education Specialist for all <Monroe /> COMPUTE$ certificates. The two fifth graders each earned a certification in IC3 Spark, a digital literacy course designed to promote safe and responsible internet use by young people.  Mira noted that the IC3 Digital Literacy program is now offered in every Monroe County elementary and middle school district-wide.  “Our goal is to have every MCSD student certified in the IC3 Digital Literacy program by the time they complete the 8th grade,” Mira stated.

Eight grader Gianni Ballard became the first student in the district to earn an industry certification in a non-career and technical education class.  Ballard earned his Adobe Photoshop certification, as a student in Katie Holtkamp’s art class at Horace O’Bryant School.  Ms. Holtkamp found that Ballard was learning beyond her required art curriculum and reached out to the CTE department for some additional opportunities for Gianni.  Now that Gianni has earned a certification, many other art students have expressed interest.  The district expects this to be a new avenue for embedding industry certifications in many additional courses.

“Students earning industry certifications continue to rise throughout the district at a rapid pace,” Porter emphasized.  “Thanks again to Key West philanthropists John Padget and Jacob Dekker for their generous donations that continue to motivate our students to earn these valuable certifications.”  

More details available from Sibba Mira at the office of Career and Technical Education at (305) 293-1400 x53389.

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