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Foundation for Applied Technical Education reports student-auto sales, grants and seeks new site as current lot nears end of life
Summary
FATE leaders said their residential construction and student auto‑sales programs generated funds for scholarships and school grants; the group said it will need a new site in 5–7 years and invited the school board to an open house.
The Foundation for Applied Technical Education (FATE) presented its annual report to the Fairfax County School Board on June 17, reporting continued revenue from student auto sales and residential construction, and urging the board to help in planning for a new site.
FATE leaders said last year they sold Lot 12 at the program site for $1,250,000 and that the student auto-sales program generated about $250,000 in total sales this year, with approximately $187,000 returned to participating schools. Ed Johnson, president of FATE, described those proceeds as supporting scholarships, program grants and student entrepreneurship projects.
Why it matters: FATE supports CTE instruction across FCPS by funding equipment, scholarships and program grants tied to construction and auto-technology programs. Its revenue stream helps school programs buy tools, materials and provide student opportunities that may not be covered by the division budget.
Program highlights and numbers
- Residential construction: FATE runs a long‑standing residential construction program at a site in Springfield. Johnson said five homes remain to be completed on the current site and that the program will likely need a new property "in the early 2030s" — roughly "5 to 7 years" from now — to continue student construction projects.
- Student auto sales: Craig Lewis, senior manager for trade industrial education and FATE liaison, said the auto-sales program operates across 13 auto-technology locations; this year about $250,000 of sales produced roughly $187,000 returned to schools for local use.
- Scholarships and grants: FATE said it awarded about $350,000 in scholarships over its lifetime and this year provided seven scholarships of $13,000 (each). FATE also reported program-enhancement grants that supported more than 30 school applications this year.
Board engagement and next steps
Johnson invited school board members and staff to a public open house at the foundation's Springfield site, 7430 Foundation Way, on June 18 from 1 to 4 p.m. He also asked the board to advise on identifying and acquiring a replacement site for the program, noting land availability and zoning complexity within Fairfax County.
Quotes and context
"We have somewhere between five to seven years left on this site before we need to move the program," Johnson said. Craig Lewis added that the program has focused on building industry partnerships and certifications (OSHA 10, NCCER) to align student training with employer expectations.
Ending: FATE said it will continue student programming and grant work while starting outreach to county officials and potential partners about a permanent replacement property.
