Updates from WTS-DC's Transportation YOU Committee
By Laura MacNeil, WTS-DC
October 2022
WTS-DC's Transportation YOU Committee has developed long-standing relationships with three high schools in the District of Columbia: McKinley Technology High School, Cardozo Education Campus, and Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. This academic year, the TYOU Committee was honored to be invited to play a larger role in one of those schools by becoming an advisory board member for the two National Academy Foundation (NAF) Academies of Dunbar High School: the Dr. Charles R. Drew Engineering Academy, with 136 students in 9th through 12th grades; and the Information Technology Academy, with 16 incoming freshmen students.
Building on her existing role as Dunbar’s liaison for the Transportation YOU Committee, Deputy Chair Laura MacNeil is now taking on advisory board member responsibilities, which include monthly meetings where she shares perspectives, ideas, and resources as an industry professional to ensure that student experiences within the NAF Academies align with the trajectory of their prospective industry. This expanded role within the NAF Academies at Dunbar High School also expands opportunities to leverage the professional resources within the WTS network and better integrate them into students’ academic schedules and curriculum. The engineering academy’s focus on providing work-based learning events for students aligns well with Transportation YOU’s ability to connect students with female role-models in the transportation industry, site visits to construction projects and office experiences, subject-matter experts, and college tour opportunities.
The Transportation YOU team is planning events for the 2022-2023 academic year. If you are interested in being a speaker or getting involved, please reach out to Barbara Moreno.