Award Recognizes Support that Encourages High Student Achievement
MELBOURNE, FLORIDA, May 11, 2010 — The Brevard Schools Foundation has named Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS), an international communications and information technology company, one of two 2010 District Business Partners of the Year. Cindy Kane, director of Corporate Relations for Harris and co-chair of the BETA development project, accepted the award during a luncheon held recently in Cocoa Beach.
Left: Joseph Capalbo, Assistant Principal at Bayside High School; Center: Cindy Kane, Director of Corporate Relations, Harris Corporation; Right: Jennifer Sullivan, Director of Bayside Engineering and Technology Academy
Harris was nominated for the award by Bayside High School for the company’s ongoing support of science, technology, engineering and math education throughout the county — particularly for its support of the Bayside Engineering and Technology Academy (BETA).
BETA offers Brevard County students an opportunity to pursue academic studies that specifically prepare them for professional careers in engineering, or for work in technical/assembly environments. BETA’s curriculum combines demanding academic and technical coursework with internships, real-world senior projects and mentoring.
Harris has provided financial support and paid internships, sponsored visits by company engineers to BETA classrooms, hosted the students on the Harris campus during National Engineers Week, and assisted the school with preparing recruiting materials.
“Programs like BETA are essential to keeping the U.S. workforce competitive in the global technology market,” Kane said. “We are proud to be part of this exciting endeavor, and also want to recognize the contributions made by many other local companies and educational partners in creating this unique learning center.”
The BETA program is now in its fourth year, with 157 students in grades 9 through 12 participating. This school year is particularly noteworthy in that 11 students, who were part of the pilot program, will be graduating and headed to college.
Harris has a variety of programs in place that support educational initiatives in Brevard County. These include sponsoring teacher training sessions with nationally recognized experts, supporting science and art fairs, and donating equipment and supplies through the Harris Employees Reaching Out (HERO) program. In addition, many Harris employees serve as mentors and sit on school advisory committees.
About Harris Corporation
Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has approximately $5 billion of annual revenue and more than 15,000 employees — including nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class assured communications® products, systems, and services. Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at www.harris.com.