Henry Ford Collegiate Academy Named 2013 'Innovator of the Year'

In recognition for its efforts to prepare students for a competitive workforce, Dearborn Public Schools was named "Innovator of the Year" at the 2013 Business Recognition Awards Ceremony & Expo (BRACE) on Friday.

The annual event is organized by the Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce, and showcases the contributions to the city from more than 35 area businesses.

DPS was honored for its collegiate academic partnership with Henry Ford Community College. It is the only district in Michigan to offer a state-funded five-year program — where students receive a diploma and associate’s degree including books — at no cost to families.

The program will begin with students entering their junior year during the 2013-2014 school year.

"This is truly an exciting opportunity for our students to graduate with a high school diploma and a college degree, saving parents close to $30,000," superintendent Brian Whiston said. "It does provide another reason for people to want to live, work, and raise a family in Dearborn."

Students who attend one of the district’s three high schools — Edsel Ford, Fordson or Dearborn High — have the option of enrolling in college classes at the beginning of their junior year if they score high enough on the state's PLAN standardized test as sophomores.

Students have to score at least a "15" on the English section, "19" on the mathematics section, and "17" on the reading section to qualify.

"The vision is that this program will help us improve our test scores across the district," Whiston said. "The bar isn't set so high that a few kids can meet it, but we feel all kids can qualify if they work hard."

HFCC President Gail Mee said she is excited to see the program begin its implementation next year.

"This is a very important way for us to say 'thank you' and give back to our community for supporting K-12 education," Mee said.

Other award recepients at the 2013 BRACE expo included:

• Business of the Year: Severstal North America
• Leadership Award: Lynne Killion, proprietor of PostNet
• Small Business Award: Westborn Market

[Related: Dearborn Schools Offer Students 5-Year High School Program with College Degree]