A new partnership between Batesville High School Charter and the Intimidator Group, described as the Engineering Pathway, was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday at the Batesville School District’s Hub Pioneer Family Resource Center.
The partnership will be open to 9th-12th grade students beginning in the 2023/2024 school year.
In a media release, the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce said the Engineering Pathway is designed to expose students to engineering careers with hands-on learning opportunities.
At the ceremony, Intimidator/Toro Human Resources Manager Wiley Osborn (pictured below) expressed appreciation to the chamber and other community partners for helping create the project.
Osborn said Engineering Pathway was developed to attract more students to the diverse fields offered by engineering, and with the assistance of Laura Howard, the Batesville School District’s community schools coordinator, he believes the program will make a “pathway” to spark interest in engineering and allow students to be on the journey on a successful career.
Intimidator/Toro Engineering Director Jeremy Gill (pictured below) told the audience the company is committed to the program and introducing students to the wide range of engineering opportunities. Gill noted the project will be offering classroom tools for development, internship opportunities, and also working on team-based activities with company engineers.
“This is an exciting day for UACCB,” said Brian Shonk, EdD, Chancellor at the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville. “I greatly appreciate and value our strong relationship with the leadership at the Intimidator Group. Manufacturing has become an integral part of our local economy, and this gift from The Toro Company Foundation, on behalf of Intimidator Group, will allow UACCB to continue to provide relevant education and training to support our growing workforce. The impact being made through this generous donation will truly improve the lives of our students, their families, and our community.”
The Intimidator Group is an Arkansas-based company founded in 2013. Focused on building greatness, the Intimidator Group family includes Spartan Mowers, Intimidator UTVs, eNVy Neighborhood Vehicles, Bad Dawg Accessories, and Ground Hog Max.
“It’s important that we invest in ongoing training and skills development for a future-ready workforce,” said Osborn. “We are very excited to further our relationship with UACCB and support the new Skills Development Lab. As an extension of the business community, this training facility will play a crucial role in the local and regional economy, both preparing students for high-demand careers in manufacturing and helping employers develop and retain top talent.”
Ambassadors in attendance included: Amy Crouch-Howard (Weichert, Realtors – The Property Shoppe), Mary Duvall (Bad Boy, Inc), Justin Keister (Syngery, HR LLC), Megan Renihan (Batesville School District), Justin Russell (Bank of Cave City), Lucy Rodriguez (George’s Inc), Jesse Cargill (UAMS), Tammy Foster (First Community Bank), Adam Curtwright (Centennial Bank), Becky Warren (UACCB), Ashley Engles (Citizens Bank), Amy Finster (White River Health), Eva Henriksen (Merchants & Planters Bank), Aaron Herndon (Citizens Bank), Michael Kelley (Peco Foods), Lori Tacker (Batesville Eye Care Center), and Christina Watts (LaCroix Precision Optics).
Images provided by Batesville School District / Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce
