SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE OVER $136K IN APPALACHIAN REGIONAL COMMISSION FUNDING FOR FILLMORE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
Funding Will Help Implement 3-Semester-Long Course For Middle & High School Students To Earn Drone Operator Certification
FCSD – Which Serves Town Of Hume, Villages Of Houghton And Rossburg, And Fillmore Hamlet – To Receive Federal Funding To Better Prepare Students For Modern Workforce
Schumer, Gillibrand: Funding For Fillmore Students Will Help Career Prospects Soar
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand today announced $136,509 in federal funding allocated by the Appalachian Regional Commission for the Fillmore Central School District (FCSD). The funding will be used to implement an educational pathway enabling secondary school students to earn a certification and license to become a drone operator.
“As demand grows for a well-trained workforce for new opportunities in high-tech industries, it is imperative that we make sure our students in rural New York are not left behind,” said Senator Schumer. “This federal funding will ensure that our FCSD students are among the best and brightest New York has to offer. This critical federal investment will help prepare Fillmore students for high-paying, high-tech jobs.”
“Every New York student deserves access to an inclusive and modern education system,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This funding will help the Fillmore Central School District integrate technology into school curriculum, providing students with a cutting-edge education system needed to be successful in today’s global economy. I will always fight to make education a priority so our students are prepared and successful when entering the workforce.”
Specifically, the senators said, the funding will be used to implement a 300-hour training program, spread over three semesters, which will prepare students to test for and receive an FAA license to operate a drone in the National Airspace System. Upon graduation, students will have the option of beginning their careers as a drone operator or continuing their education in drone technology at an institute of higher education.
Schumer and Gillibrand revealed that FCSD has partnered with Alfred University’s School of Engineering and anticipates 40 students will participate in the first cohort.
The federal funding accounts for a little over two-thirds of the total funding necessary to implement the program. The remaining amount will be provided by local sources. The total project is anticipated to cost $198,664.
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