Electrical wiring program brings home national Crystal Star Award

Published: November 23, 2009

CLEMSON, S.C. — The Residential Electrical Wiring Program for students with disabilities at Barbara Goleman Senior High School in Miami-Dade County has been awarded a Crystal Star Award of Excellence for its efforts to improve school completion rates. Alan Azan accepted the Crystal Star Award on behalf of the program.

The Crystal Star Awards of Excellence in Dropout Recovery, Intervention & Prevention are handed out by the National Dropout Prevention Network, coordinated though the National Dropout Prevention Center at Clemson University.

The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities worked with 24 high schools and 22 middle schools in Miami-Dade County to introduce strategies for preventing students from dropping out. The program’s primary goal is to target students with severe emotional problems and give them the tools needed for graduation and employment in a specialized field.

The program resulted in better grades, improved school attendance and an increase in the number of students either finding work or pursuing post-secondary education.

The Crystal Star Awards are presented annually to bring national attention to outstanding individuals and programs that have made significant contributions to advance the mission of dropout prevention.

The 2009 Crystal Star Awards were announced in San Antonio, Texas, at the 21^st annual conference of the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network. The theme of the Oct. 25-28 conference was “Illuminating the Path to the Future.” For more details on the awards and award winners, visit the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network at http://www.dropoutprevention.org/about/crystal/recipients_2009.htm.

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