Radford’s Bridge to Excellence wins VSBA Blue Ridge innovation award

Radford City Schools received the Virginia School Boards Association Blue Ridge regional ‘‘Showcasing Innovation’’ award for its Bridge to Excellence Manufacturing Program, the superintendent announced at the June 9 board meeting.

The award recognizes the district’s structured regional workforce immersion program, which takes high school students each Friday to manufacturing sites across the New River Valley alongside Pulaski County students. Amy Walker, chair of the VSBA Blue Ridge region, presented the honor and praised the program’s emphasis on both technical skills and professional behaviors needed for manufacturing careers. "This award recognizes your outstanding work with the Bridge to Excellence Manufacturing Program, an innovative program that moves beyond traditional career awareness activities by creating a structured regional workforce immersion program," Walker said.

Superintendent Dr. McDaniel and CTE lead Miss Mosby accepted the shared award; the program purchased industry work gear, paid credentialing fees at New River Community College, and developed a health‑care strand alongside manufacturing. Dr. McDaniel said the district also used competitive grant funding to buy hard hats, steel‑toed boots, medical kits and student credentials that support the program’s on‑the‑job learning. Pulaski County and Radford will rotate physical custody of the shared trophy.

Board members said the partnership provides tangible career pathways for students and reinforces local employer relationships. The program has also been supported with K‑12 school innovation grant dollars and by New River Community College, which the district used for credentialing fees.

Board materials list the program as part of a broader set of grant‑funded initiatives—Bridge to Excellence received $29,500 of a $50,000 K‑12 innovation award shared with Pulaski County—and administrators said they hope to expand health‑care and education strands in future years.