Warren Tech Career and Technical School

Creating Quality Futures Since 1973

April 21, 2016

An Open Letter to Joe Shaw

Dear Mr. Shaw,

It is with much disappointment that your student body, parents, and teachers present you this letter. It has recently come to our attention that a program that many of us have participated in, The Academy, may come to an end with the 2015-2016 school year. This is something that has brought positive attention, great connections, and growth to Warren Tech; We are extremely disappointed in this possible decision.

The Academy is a program designed by and for Warren Tech students in order to collaborate positively and effectively, in a setting which promotes industry values and standards. This program, by which you can see with attached surveys and interviews, gives students not only an in-depth experience based on their program of choice, but also an experience highlighting the do’s and don’ts of said industries. This is a program that allows students to transition into the workforce or higher education with overwhelming experience that has continually enforced Warren Tech’s Mission Statement- “Creating Quality Futures Since 1973.”

Upon interviewing various Academy students, teachers, parents, and bystanders, we have found an immensely positive response regarding students’ skill and professionalism when entering their industries in order to complete Academy projects. From university professors, to venue owners, all the way to acclaimed graphic designers and other industry professionals, each one of the Academy participants left viewers with not only amazement towards themselves as high school students, but also with The Academy- the program that has provided students the resources and opportunities in order to grow and collaborate as much as they have throughout the 2015-2016 school year.

There is simply no other program like this within the Jefferson County School District, or within Warren Tech itself. By taking away this unique and collaborative “dip” into the business world, you are taking away experiences on students’ resumes, contacts and references for college applications, and quite frankly, one of the most innovative programs at Warren Tech, that fully and wholeheartedly stands behind what Warren Tech is all about- the creation of positive leaders in the workforce, the growth of industry standards and technology, and the support of students that go above and beyond the norm in the name of their passions.

So in closing, we would greatly appreciate a reconsideration of this impactful decision, and we hope that our experiences within this program have moved you as much as they have us.