Lexington-Richland School District 5 program receives statewide recognition

Irmo, SC - Lexington-Richland School District Five partnership program, BOOM, has received two awards. The program has been named the Program of the Year Award for the SC Division on Career Development and Transition (SC-DCDT) and the 2018 Outstanding Continuing Education Cooperative Program by the SC Association for Higher Continuing Education (SCAHCE).

BOOM, (Building Occupational Opportunities in the Midlands), features students with disabilities from School District Five, Richland One and Richland Two in a semester-long course where they learn construction at Midlands Technical College’s airport campus.

BOOM was nominated by a Richland Two job coach for the SC-DCDT honor. The mission of the SC-DCDT is to promote national and international efforts to improve the quality of and access to, career/vocational and transition services, increase participation of education in career development and transition goals to influence policies affecting career development and transition services for persons with disabilities.

School District Five Chief Instructional Officer, Michael Guliano said “School District Five is committed to the success of all learners in our schools. We are proud of this partnership and how it builds students' independence and self-confidence while at the same time preparing young adults for future careers in construction.”

Midlands Technical College nominated the program for the SCAHCE award. The association promotes continuing education within South Carolina and responds to the needs of educators and administrators of continuing education in order to better serve students and other consumers of continuing education programs.

“I believe BOOM is an exemplary model of how partnerships can lead to better services for students,” said Angie Slatton, School District Five Director of Special Services. “The recognition BOOM has received suggest we have created something special that we plan to continue and hope to share with others across the state.”

Through partnerships with Midlands Education & Business Alliance, SC Vocational Rehabilitation, Midlands Workforce and the Building Industry Association of Central South Carolina, students from all three districts learn skills in order to gain competitive employment in the construction field.