FOR

 IMMEDIATE  RELEASE     Contact:  

          Deb  Myers,  513-­‐674-­‐4226  (office)  or  513-­‐703-­‐7984  (cell)  
          Renita  Heideman,  513-­‐674-­‐4312  (office)  or  513-­‐518-­‐2036  (cell)  
 
 
Inaugural  “Virtual  Reality  Education  Pathfinders”  Institute  
Greater  Cincinnati  High  Schools  Connect  STEM    
to  College  and  Career  Readiness    
Through  3D  Technology  
 
 
Cincinnati,  OH  –  January  6  and  7,  2011  –  “Virtual  Reality  Education  Pathfinders”  (VREP)  is  a  national  
scale  initiative  designed  to  bring  together  high  school  students  in  unique  learning  environments  to  spark  
career  possibilities  using  virtual  reality,  3D  technology.    Students  from  ten  local  high  schools  will  
convene  at  the  University  of  Cincinnati  Tangeman  Center  with  laptops  in  hand.    Engaged  for  two  days  of  
hands-­‐on  learning,  these  students  will  be  immersed  in  the  design  and  development  of  virtual  reality  
environments.      
 
Yes,  VREP  is  about  technology,  but  it’s  so  much  more.    These  students  are  charting  a  course  for  their  
high  school,  college  and  career  futures.    The  Institute  is  but  a  first  step.    These  Pathfinders  will  continue  
their  learning  of  virtual  reality  applications,  back  at  school,  as  they  collaborate  on  projects  to  create  
immersive  virtual  environments  aligned  to  national  and  state  educational  standards.      These  learning  
modules  will  be  vetted  by  professional  educators  and  ultimately  used  as  learning  resources  that  engage  
21st  Century  learners.      
 
Rex  Kozak,  Principal  of  East  Marshall  High  School,  Iowa  (the  birthplace  of  VREP)  says,  “Because  of  this  
student-­‐led  approach,  knowledge  is  no  longer  confined  to  the  four  walls  of  our  school.  The  students  
become  the  teacher,  the  learner,  the  developer  and,  as  a  result,  become  more  responsible  for  their  own  
learning  and  education.  We  have  seen  high-­‐performing  students,  disengaged  students,  and  students  
with  learning  difficulties  all  thrive  when  you  put  them  in  this  setting.”  
 
VREP  Ohio  is  sponsored  by  the  Hamilton  County  Educational  Service  Center  (HCESC)  in  collaboration  
with  the  Grant  Wood  Area  Education  Agency  in  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa  and  LEARN  in  Old  Lyme,  Connecticut.    
These  three  educational  service  agencies  envision  VREP  as  a  way  to  bring  robust  new  learning  
opportunities  to  schools  across  the  country.    With  the  support  of  corporate  partners  such  as  Rockwell  
Collins,  Grace  Global,  WorldViz,  and  Mechdyne,  the  VREP  collaborative  is  planning  expansion  to  a  
national  scale.    
 
HCESC  Superintendent  Dave  Distel  comments,  “Today’s  global  and  technological  economy  calls  for  
innovative  approaches  to  learning.    VREP  affords  all  students  the  opportunity  to  hear  that  call,  schools  
to  respond  to  it,  and  educational  service  agencies  to  support  it.    HCESC  is  proud  to  be  a  part  of  this  
transformational  education  initiative  so  that  students  can  learn  more,  do  more  and  be  more.”  
 
Destined  to  become  an  effective  college  and  career  pathway,  VREP  makes  Science,  Technology,  
Engineering  and  Math  (STEM)  a  reality  …  virtual  reality,  that  is.    VREP  Pathfinders  engage  in  project-­‐
based  learning  as  they  work  side-­‐by-­‐side  with  business  and  industry  experts.    Our  local  corporate  
partners  are  International  TechneGroup  Incorporated  (ITI)  and  Turner  Construction,  both  of  which  will  
be  present  at  the  Institute  with  demos  of  applications  used  by  their  companies.      

The  University  of  Cincinnati  Fusion  Center  whose  mission  is  “to  impact  policy  and  improve  educational  
practice  in  PK-­‐20  science,  technology,  engineering,  mathematics  (STEM)  instruction  for  all  students,  
through  transformative  innovation,  outreach,  and  research”  is  supporting  VREP  in  two  key  ways.    First,  
UC  is  providing  the  Tangeman  Center  as  the  venue  for  the  Institute  and  secondly,  the  Fusion  Center  
provided  innovation  and  STEM  grant  funding  for  four  participating  districts  to  purchase  the  VREP  
technology  package  of  equipment  for  their  school.    

CETConnect,  a  leading  provider  of  education  and  enrichment  in  classrooms  and  living  rooms  throughout  
Greater  Cincinnati,  will  be  videotaping  the  entire  two-­‐day  Institute  to  promote  career  connections.  
 
VREP  January  2011  Participating  School  Districts  
 
Clermont  Northeastern  High  School       Anderson  High  School  (Forest  Hills  Local)  
Lockland  High  School           Loveland  High  School    
Madeira  High  School           North  College  Hill  High  School  
Norwood  High  School           Oak  Hills  High  School  
Harrison  High  School  (Southwest  Local)       Taylor  High  School  (Three  Rivers  Local)  
 
 
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*The  Hamilton  County  Educational  Service  Center  has  provided  service  to  the  public  school  districts  in  
Hamilton  County  and  vicinity  for  more  than  ninety  years.  Traditionally,  these  services  have  been  related  
to  special  education  and  professional  development.  However,  in  response  to  the  challenging  demands  
of  state  and  federal  legislation  and  the  changing  needs  of  today’s  students  and  educators,  HCESC  is  
focusing  on  innovation  by  bringing  together  educational  best  practices  and  leading-­‐edge  knowledge  to  
serve  150,000  students  and  10,000  educators  in  southwest  Ohio.  HCESC  is  staffed  by  nearly  500  
professionals  -­‐  experts  in  curriculum  and  instruction,  special  education  and  related  services,  early  
childhood,  and  school  improvement  consultants.    Learn  more  at  www.hcesc.org.