Kingsport to host reception to celebrate winning Harvard Award
KINGSPORT ‚¬ The City of Kingsport and Kingsport Area Chamber of
Commerce will host a celebration reception honoring Kingsports winning
the prestigious Innovations in American Government Award from the John
F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
The event will take place Wednesday, December 9 at 5:30 p.m. at the Kingsport Higher Education Center in downtown Kingsport. The public is invited to attend.
Kingsport garnered the prestigious honor for its efforts to enhance higher education in the community.
The celebration event will honor and thank the hundreds of Kingsport
leaders and citizens who helped and supported the citys efforts in
creating the Kingsport Academic Village.
This prestigious award is the finest example of what can be
accomplished when no one is concerned about who gets the credit,
Kingsport Mayor Dennis Phillips said. But we realized that literally
hundreds of people who had made the Harvard award possible had not been
properly thanked. It would have never been possible without the
involvement and support of the vast majority of the citizens of
Kingsport. This is an opportunity for us to say thank you Kingsport for
what each of you did in making the Academic Village and Harvard award
possible.
In today’s challenging global economy, the quality of a community’s
local workforce is invaluable to ensuring a community’s long-term
livelihood and economic success, said Stephen Goldsmith, director of
the Innovations in Government Program at Harvard Kennedy School. As a
2009 Innovations in American Government Award winner, the city of
Kingsport has demonstrated an impressive commitment to revitalizing its
community through a host of creative measures that municipalities
nationwide can adopt to similarly achieve their economic potential.
The Ash Institute describes the Innovations in American Government
Award as a significant force in recognizing and promoting excellence
and creativity in the public sector. Through its annual awards
competition, the program provides concrete evidence that government can
work to improve the quality of life for citizens and that it deserves
greater public trust. By highlighting exemplary models of governments
innovative performance, the program serves as a catalyst for continued
progress in addressing the nations most pressing public concerns.
The competition for this year’s award was intense and all the
citizens of Kingsport should be very proud of what they have
accomplished together, said Pearl Sims, director of Vanderbilt
Universitys Leadership Development Center and the onsite evaluator for
the Harvard Award. Kingsport offers to other cities concrete evidence
that government can work to improve the quality of life for citizens
and models for our nation how to address some of our most pressing
public concerns. As a researcher at Vanderbilt University and as a
native Tennessean, I wish to add my heartfelt congratulations to the
city of Kingsport for winning the Innovations in American Government
Awards Program.
To receive this award, Kingsport presented achievements in the
Higher Education program and developments in educational policy over
the past ten years and emphasized the improvements in the economic and
educational base since implementation of programs such as the Educate
and Grow scholarship program and the creation of the Regional Center
for Applied Technology.
These initiatives have been fundamental to the revitalization of the
downtown area and have produced more jobs, higher property values, and
most importantly a more educated citizenry and workforce.
Education
Under the Educate and Grow plan, city of Kingsport officials
collaborated with various partners to develop and finance a host of new
programs to enhance academic outcomes of Kingsport students and build a
more qualified workforce.
K-14: A first in the nation, the citys K-14 program extends
public high school by an optional two years to provide students with
additional training and technical skills requested by local employers.
Dual Enrollment: Through established partnerships with the
areas local colleges, high school students now have the opportunity to
take college-level classes and receive both college and high school
credit for their work.
Scholarships: Any Kingsport high school graduate is eligible for
a four-semester scholarship at the citys Northeast State Community
College. Such funding allows students to earn a two-year associates
degree or transfer credits towards a four-year bachelors degree.
Curriculum: Officials have developed new areas of medical and
technical study at the college level that better reflect the growing
number of industries in the region along with attracting new
industries.
New Infrastructure
Kingsport underwent a series of infrastructure enhancements,
building an academic village in close proximity to the citys
business center. Officials project the new building plans will increase
the downtown student population to 2,500 over the next few years.
Regional Center for Applied Technology (RCAT): Launched in 2002
as a branch of Northeast State Community College, RCAT offers high
school graduates and continuing education students courses in computer
science and information technology; office administration; business
management; and on-demand industry-specific job training.
Regional Center for Health Professionals: In addition to
enhancing the technology skills of Kingsports labor force, the city
opened the Regional Center for Health Professionals in 2008 to draw new
health care opportunities to the region. Students can earn two-year
degrees in medical technology and nursing.
Kingsport Center for Higher Education: Opened this August, the
center offer courses towards associate up to doctoral degrees through a
unique partnership with five local colleges and universities ‚¬
Northeast State, Carson-Newman College, King College, Lincoln Memorial
University and the University of Tennessee.
Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing (RCAM): This
public-private partnership between the state of Tennessee, Northeast
State, and two of Kingsports largest manufacturers, Eastman Chemical
Company and Domtar, will offer certifications and associate of applied
science programs in electrical, fabrication and chemical process
technologies.
Pal Barger Automotive Technology Center: A fifth facility,
scheduled to open in the fall of 2010, will be dedicated to
state-of-the-art automotive technology training programs.
Results
Kingsports Educate and Grow initiative cites much success in
bringing new industry to the region and improving the skills of its
workforce.
Industry Diversification: Formerly dependent solely on the
manufacturing industry, the greater Kingsport region now reports a more
diversified economy including new jobs in healthcare (8,000),
hospitality (5,000), construction (3,900), professional services
(2,500) and information technology (600).
Sales Tax Revenues: Sales tax revenues have increased by nearly $950,000 since 2005 and property values are increasing.
Investment: The city cites an increase of $370 million in new
construction since 2006 including 12 new restaurants and regional
education buildings.
Population: 2,700 families have moved to Kingsport over the last
two years and the city is experiencing an increase in young adults aged
20-24. The number of residents earning college degrees has increased by
two percent.
The Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit
business organization comprised of nearly 1,000 members. The Kingsport
Chambers mission is to utilize resources and focus efforts on
enhancing a strong and viable business environment for the Kingsport
area.
For more information on the Kingsport Chamber, visit www.KingsportChamber.org
or call (423) 392-8800. Were social too; follow us on our Facebook
page, Your Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce and on our Twitter
account, @kptchamber.
