Anderson Oconee Pickens This release prepared by the Tri-County Technical College Public Relations Department. Lisa Garrett, Associate, Ext. 2315, lgarrett@tricty.tricounty.tec.sc.us

PACE Receives $5,000 Grant for Summer Institute PENDLETON --- The Summer Institute, a two-week career awareness course for area teachers and counselors, has received a $5,000 grant for the 13th consecutive year. For the past 12 years, teachers and counselors have been learning about high tech careers available to students and the preparation they need to enter the workforce at an annual Summer Institute offered by the Partnership for Academic and Career Educati on (PACE), based at Tri-County Technical College. The Institute is funded through a Carl D. Perkins Grant awarded to PACE by the South Carolina Department of Education's Office of Occupational Education. Since its inception, more than 200 area teachers and counselors have participated in the Institute. The Institute is offered for teachers in middle, junior high, and high schools, as well as counselors, curriculum coordinators, career center teachers and postsecondary faculty. The purpose of the Institute is to promote non-traditional career opportunities for men and women with a special emphasis on industrial and technical careers. This year's Institute will include sessions on existing and emerging careers in technology, the Tech Prep (PREParation for TECHnologies) program, the S.C. School-to-Work Initiative (co-op, youth apprentice, shadowing, service learning, internship and me ntoring), career development, gender fairness in the secondary school curriculum, and strategies that boost students' self-esteem and motivation. Participants will go on field trips to local industries for first-hand observation of manufacturing operations, and on demonstration tours of Tri-County labs. Participants' expenses for tuition, fees and materials will be paid through the Perkins grant. PACE is a business/education partnership involving all school districts in Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties. It was organized in 1987 to initiate Tech Prep (PREParation for TECHnologies) programs in local high schools. Tech Prep expands mid-level vocational/technical career opportunities for the large number of area students who do not pursue baccalaureate degrees after high school.

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