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Opportunity Knocks outreach event coming in Staunton

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The Staunton City Schools are showing their commitment to the success of every student with its Opportunity Knocks community outreach event at Booker T. Washington Community Center this Saturday.

staunton2editsOpportunity Knocks is a fair that partners families of children in Staunton City Schools with local businesses, in-demand industries, community colleges and technical schools with hopes of offering avenues of future success to all kids.

The program is the first step of a vision shared by brother and sister Mark Rexrode and Carla Van DeVander, both Staunton City School products now work for the school system. Rexrode is a guidance counselor at his alma mater at Robert E. Lee. His sister, Van Devander, is a differentiation specialist at Robert E. Lee and Shelburne Middle School.

Four months ago, the siblings Rexrode and Van Devander began gathering City Council members, School Board members, members of local faith organizations, parents, former Lee graduates, interested citizens and school volunteers to address ways of helping a greater contingent of Staunton City School students reach a preferred future.

One of the biggest concerns the program hopes to address is how to help students who may not head to four-year college map out a course to making a living wage and being a productive member of society.

Saturday’s program, which runs from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., includes:

• Preschool and elementary school success group discussion at 1:15 p.m.

SOL and diploma options at 1:45 p.m.

• Valley Vo-Tech options discussion at 2:15 p.m.

• Scholarship and FASFA information 2:45 p.m.

• A community college discussion 3:15 p.m.

• Local industry and apprenticeship discussion 4:10 p.m.

Additionally, there will be booths for military recruiters, adult workforce services, youth workforce center and many other organizations.

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