FY 2017 Popular Annual Financial Report FY 2017 Popular Annual Financial Report | Page 16

Support Quality Education T he City of Arlington is committed to Support Quality Education and to creating a thriving community where residents of all ages have access to educational resources and opportunities. ‘Dream Builders’ Spotlights Kids Achieving Their American Dream Luke Chacko, a 12-year-old singing sensation whose viral YouTube video landed him on the Ellen Show, was just one of a dozen inspiring stories about our community’s youth profiled in the Office HOME PLATE of Communication’s popular Dream Builders series. Dream Builders is a show on MyArlingtonTV NEWS that highlights the ways our community helps kids STORY dream big, nurture their creativity, polish their skills and develop the tools they need to achieve their American Dream as young adults. HOME PLATE NEWS Library Launches ‘Born to Stand Out’ Storytime HOME PLATE Born The Arlington Public Library’s to Stand Out storytime, which launched NEWS STORY AISD Opens Career and Technical Center City and community leaders celebrated the opening of Arlington Independent School District’s Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center in fall 2017. This center, located at 2101 Browning Drive, offers state-of-the- art courses in career and technical fields to all district high school juniors and seniors. Programs include automotive, broadcasting, cosmetology, construction, culinary/hospitality, the Fire Academy, health sciences, information technology, photography, welding and many more. 16 | Popular Annual Financial Report in 2017, offers a welcoming atmosphere for children of all ages and abilities. The early literacy program is designed to create a comfortable setting for children with special needs and their families to play, learn, sing and experience storytime together. Some features include a privacy tent for children who don’t feel comfortable in the center of the room, fidget toys for those who need to keep their hands busy during storytime, as well as mess- free finger painting and puzzles. Kiddies Paws 2 Read STORY Encourages Summer Reading The Arlington Animal Services’ Kiddies Paws 2 Read program, which started in 2017, is designed to help elementary age children learn patience and confidence and to improve their skills by reading books out loud to shelter volunteers and to dogs available for adoption at the shelter. Participants also learn about responsible pet ownership and what to do when meeting an unfamiliar animal while in the program. It’s open to all elementary age students who live in Arlington. Other Education News • The Arlington Public Library was awarded five competi-tive grants, HOME PLATE totaling more than $100,000, to support workshops and events NEWS STORY for a wide range of ages and interests. These include early literacy programs, small business workshops and more downloadable audiobooks to meet demands. • Military Times ranked UT Arlington HOME PLATE in as the No. 1 four-year institution Texas for veterans and their families to earn a college degree. NEWS STORY • More than 9,400 residents participated in the Library’s Summer Reading Program. HOME • The Library also purchased 24 Sphero PLATE robots, thanks to a grant, to enhance its lineup of robotics programs. NEWS The Sphero robots are part of STORY programming planned for teens on HOME the Autism spectrum. PLATE • UT Arlington celebrated its largest graduating class in May 2017, NEWS STORY conferring 5,600 degrees.