Hillsborough County High School Awarded Matching funds from Ring Power and Caterpillar

In September, Lennard High School in Hillsborough County was awarded matching funds from Ring Power and Caterpillar’s Dealer Excellence Foundation for its Agribusiness program. Program instructor, Nathan Cooley, and his administration worked closely with members of the Ring Power team to develop a needs assessment and stipulate how to best use the resources. Cooley will use the funds to purchase training aids, tooling, personal protective equipment, and machine consumables in the areas of diesel engine repair, electrical fundamentals, and welding training.

In addition to Ring Power’s support coming through these monetary awards, the Lennard High School/Ring Power partnership will also include collaboration on curriculum and instruction, as well as Ring Power internship opportunities for Lennard High School students. Currently, Ring Power employs three Lennard graduates and looks forward to more coming in the future.

Along with this collaboration, additional partnerships are being coordinated with other schools and districts across Florida including First Coast Technical College in St. Augustine, the St. Johns County School Board, and Orange Technical College in Orlando. As these partnerships develop and new partnerships emerge, we anticipate having a significant impact on career and technical education programs in the communities where we live, work, and serve.