OCDE Newsroom

OC Pathways Showcase will highlight college and career partnerships on Dec. 2

Ian Hanigan November 24, 2015

A limited number of seats are still available for an upcoming showcase to celebrate the first year of OC Pathways, an initiative that's paving the way to college and career success and strengthening the 21st-century workforce. Open to educators and industry leaders, the inaugural OC Pathways Showcase on Dec. 2 will feature innovative displays from local schools, colleges and businesses, as well as a keynote address from NASA astronaut Leland Melvin. “Equipping Students for the Global Innovation Economy” is the theme of the event, which will be held from 7:30 to 10 a.m. inside Hangar 244 at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine. [...]

An image of Orange County Superintendent Al Mijares

Mijares: Hour of Code campaign offers students an introduction to computer science

Al Mijares November 22, 2015

"The Hour of Code offers a global introduction to computer science with one simple call to action," writes Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Al Mijares. "It asks every single student and as many adults as possible to write code for one hour during the week of Dec. 7." In his latest column for the OCDE Newsroom, Dr. Mijares explains how a campaign that makes it easy to write code is demystifying the field of computer science.

In the news: New research on self-esteem, an app developed by San Clemente students and more

Ian Hanigan November 13, 2015

Hey, guess what? It's Friday again, and that means we've got another roundup of stories you might have missed. Click through for the latest education recaps and links.

OC Pathways, Nepris team up to virtually connect students with industry experts

Staff reports November 3, 2015

For the first time, business and industry partners -- from around the world or down the street -- can seamlessly connect with Orange County classrooms virtually and in real-time, thanks to a unique partnership between the OC Pathways initiative and Nepris. [...]

High School Inc. program leverages local businesses to promote college and career readiness

Ian Hanigan August 31, 2015

The High School Inc. program at Valley High School in Santa Ana may have raised a few eyebrows when it announced that students who entered as sophomores had posted a near-perfect graduation rate of 98.5 percent in 2014. But graduation statistics only tell part of the story. What’s perhaps most unique is this school-within-a-school’s approach to blending college and career readiness. Click through to learn more.

Santa Ana high schoolers complete internship at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (video)

Ian Hanigan August 19, 2015

Perhaps you've been following the story of eight students from Santa Ana who earned the rare opportunity to be interns at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. On the day before they completed the program, we dispatched a video crew to talk about their experiences.

Mijares: JPL internship exemplifies collaborative efforts to create college and career pathways

Al Mijares July 13, 2015

A paid summer internship that has eight talented Santa Ana students working with JPL scientists and engineers is "precisely the type of experience that was envisioned when the state Department of Education awarded our own OC Pathways initiative a $15 million grant to expand career pathways for students from kindergarten through college," writes Dr. Al Mijares, Orange County superintendent of schools. Click through to read the superintendent’s latest column.

In the news: A new state budget deal, JPL interns from Santa Ana, inspiring graduates and more

Ian Hanigan June 19, 2015

It’s Friday, June 19, and that pretty much closes the books on the 2014-15 school year in Orange County. We don’t have much in the way of pomp and circumstance here, but we do have a handful of education stories from the past week. Click through to catch up on recent articles you may have missed.

Eight high school students from Santa Ana have the right stuff for summer JPL internship

Ian Hanigan June 16, 2015

Thanks to the countywide initiative known as OC Pathways and community partners including OpTerra Energy Services, eight high schoolers from Santa Ana are embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime research experience as summer interns at NASA’s famed Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Click through to read the story and watch a brief video.

OC Pathways partners with OpTerra Energy Services, which will sponsor 10 paid STEM internships

Ian Hanigan May 13, 2015

We’ve received word this week that OC Pathways, the countywide initiative that’s working to expand career pathways for students from kindergarten through college, has a new partner. OpTerra Energy Services, a national leader in alternative energy solutions, is joining the effort by sponsoring 10 paid summer STEM internships for high school students in the Santa Ana Unified School District. It’s part of the company’s continued focus on building educational opportunities and workforce development strategies. [...]

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