The college is partnering with Bay District Schools on a new program that will provide public school students with Career Technology Education certifications. It’s called ASCENT and it will benefit both students and teachers.

“Information technology degree focusing on career-related fields, specifically focusing on Cybersecurity and STEAM related fields,” ASCENT program manager Suzanne Remedies.

That’s Suzanne Remedies’ description of ASCENT. It is a $23 million program working to advance science and career in new technologies in Bay County.

“ASCENT is a three-tiered program if you will,” Remedies said. “It’s beginning to develop a pathway for students within cybersecurity. So what we are looking to do is embed certifications in middle school and high school. And as students progress that would be our first-tier within K-12.”

But ASCENT is for teachers as well.

“We have a professional development that’s going to be beginning this June where teachers can earn up to $5,000,” Remedies said.

The summer teacher ASCENT program will last for about a month and will include instruction in java, web design, python, and more. There will be a similar ASCENT program for students.

“We are working on a program that’s going to support our students so they’ll have an opportunity through camps and extra opportunities in classes to learn more about those career fields,” BDS Career and Technical Education Supervisor Beth Patterson.

“And know that if they are playing Minecraft that learning a programming language like python might be advantageous or learning how to build different apps on their phones, and how those skills can translate in their future, that’s an exciting opportunity to be a part of,” Remedies said.

The new cybersecurity lab will open during year two of the grant. The staff said opportunities are endless.

The current grant allows FSU to run ASCENT programs in every Florida coastal county.