High School Students Visit Verizon to Learn How Their Studies in STEM Is Used to Develop New Technology

(BASKING RIDGE, N.J. November 29, 2011) On November 18, 25 high school students from the Academy of Engineering at City Polytechnic High School in Brooklyn, New York, will visit Verizon’s operations center in Basking Ridge, to get a glimpse at what their future might look like; that is to see how the STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) coursework they are studying in school can translate into rewarding innovative careers.  

The Career Day at Verizon will include a tour of the high-tech 1.3 million-square-foot complex as well as an interactive executive-led panel discussion focusing on career opportunities in STEM, the importance of core academic subjects, and 21st century employability skills. Each student will also job shadow alongside some of Verizon’s recent college hires.   

The City Polytechnic High School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology is part of the National Academy Foundation’s (NAF) network of nearly 500 career-themed academies nationwide preparing nearly 50,000 students each year for college and career success using an educational model that combines career-themed curriculum and work-based learning experiences.

 “Like NAF, we believe that coursework comes alive when students see a practical application to what they are studying,” said Jayne Mayer, director of employee volunteering at the Verizon Foundation.  “Our employees are doing their part to reinforce the significance of academic achievement to long term career success.   Of course, we also want to plant the seed for them to one day intern or work at Verizon.”

Charlie Katz, Director of Corporate Engagement at the National Academy Foundation, said, “It’s all about relevance.  If you enable a student to see that what he or she is learning in the classroom will be useful in their future and in getting a jump-start on their career, then you are inspiring a student to succeed.” 

The National Academy Foundation has been working with Verizon on providing work-based learning experiences to students for several years.  Employees of Verizon sit on Advisory Boards at NAF academies, providing ongoing professional expertise to students across the country.

"Many of our students aspire to be engineers.  Visiting Verizon is a great opportunity for them to see the real world of engineering," said Chris Aguirre, principal, City Polytechnic High School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology.  "We are especially appreciative of Verizon's presence on our school Advisory Board and the work that volunteers from Verizon have done with our students to prepare them for this trip and for their summer internships."