Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Superintendent James E. Richmond is the 2011 winner of the National Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award. Named for Mercury Astronaut Alan Shepard, the award recognizes outstanding contributions to technology education by kindergarten through grade 12 educators or administrators. The Astronauts Memorial Foundation (AMF) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) selected Richmond as the 2011 winner. Richmond receives the award, which will be presented by AMF, NASA and the National Space Foundation, during the opening ceremony of the 27th National Space Symposium on April 11 in Colorado Springs.

“A long-time advocate for STEM education, James Richmond has made a lasting impact on tens of thousands of students,” said Dr. Stephen Feldman, president and CEO of the Astronauts Memorial Foundation, which administers the award. “And, through the programs he has created, he is helping to develop a future workforce of scientists and engineers.”

 

Board of Education Chairman Roberta Wise nominated Richmond for the award and described the superintendent as “an educational pioneer who began a journey into space education while developing plans for the county’s seventh high school. … As head of a school system in a community that houses a Naval Surface Warfare Center but has a graying population of scientists and engineers, he responded to concerns about the future of the engineering workforce by creating partnerships with the engineering community and by enhancing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs to encourage today’s children to fill tomorrow’s void in the workplace.”

 

During the past decade, Richmond has launched multiple programs to help students excel in STEM. During Richmond’s tenure as superintendent, the school system has been able to take advantage of its proximity to the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Andrews Air Force Base and the Patuxent River Naval Base to develop compelling and real-life-based technology programs for students. Additionally, CCPS has worked closely with the Space Foundation to bring space-related STEM programs to teachers and students.

 

Programs initiated under Richmond include:  

 

  • Project Lead the Way, an aerospace engineering-themed course, in CCPS high schools;
  • Gateway to Technology, which includes a new flight and space curriculum, in CCPS middle schools;
  • STEM curriculum written by the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center;
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