APG Specialty Publications 00_IRON_MINING_ASSN_19_BOOK_NEW | Page 22

IMA COMMITTEES' YEAR-IN-REVIEW
related programs of all NHED
schools. ALI specifically could
use more partnership with local
businesses to get students
excited about local opportunities.
At that same meeting, Steve
Giorgi of RAMS, Virginia
Superintendent Dr. Noel
Schmidt, and Eveleth-Gilbert
Superintendent Jeff Carey
provided an update on the
Virginia and Eveleth-Gilbert
partnership to create a high
school academy program for
Northeast Minnesota.
The academy model has been
successful in Alexandria, MN,
and still focuses on core subjects
but is more hands-on and career-
minded. This particular academy
would be slightly different from
Alexandria’s because of the
different needs in this region; it
will be divided into three factors:
engineering/natural resources,
health & sciences, and business &
arts. Local business involvement
is key for this project’s success,
and we encourage IMA members
to get involved with the various
planning committees that have
been formed.
Looking ahead to 2019, the
IMA Workforce & Education
Committee hopes to bring even
more workforce development
groups into the fold and to also
deepen connections with those
who have already attended our
meetings. Committee Chair
Matt Thibodeau hopes to find a
liaison to keep all these groups
connected. The committee
has also discussed creating a
transportation fund to help with
iron mining related field trips.
22 | Iron Mining Association of Minnesota
THESE ACTIVITIES
AND THE WORK OF
THE IMA ARE ONLY
SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE
OF YOUR DIRECTION
AND INVOLVEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR
YOUR CONTINUED
SUPPORT OF OUR
MANY SUCCESSES
IN 2017-2018! WE
LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUING TO SERVE
YOUR NEEDS IN 2019.
The IMA continues to promote its
Taconite Rocks! curriculum with
teachers across the state and beyond.
In the past year, teachers and
students have learned about Taconite
Rocks! and other iron mining related
resources at:
• Professional Development Summit for
Rangewide teachers at the Virginia
High School (in partnership with SME)
• Iron Range STEM Festival (in
partnership with SME)
• MEA Conference in St. Paul
• National Science Teacher Convention
in St. Paul