“ACCESS has brought together our community and business partners to participate in the program and serve as liaisons for our students in their particular areas of interest. Due to the success of the ACCESS program, we are planning an expansion of this pilot project moving into the coming year.

For these reasons, I highly recommend ACCESS as it aligns with the goals of the district and community to create a more prepared and skilled workforce specifically in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math”.

Dr. Stephanie Howard, Deputy Superintendent Ector County ISD

“There is no doubt the ACCESS Program changes the landscape on how our students approach career exploration. It is truly hands on experience, and provides the opportunity for students to communicate directly with practitioners in the field of interest.

The ACCESS Program can be explored by the student or parent from home, providing flexibility to explore a number of career interests.”

Dr. Steve Brown, Board Member Ector County ISD

As the President of Odessa Regional Medical Center, I would like to express my support for Ravi Shakamuri and the ACCESS (Avatar Center for Communication, Engagement, and Student Success) Initiative in the Permian Basin. This initiative strengthens our students' career interests, encourages a focus on higher education, and helps prepare them for positions within various careers. It is critically important that we invest in these students as they are our future work force!

ACCESS and the work of Mr. Shakamuri has brought together community and business partners to participate in the program and serve as liaisons for students in their particular areas of interest. This gives Odessa Regional Medical Center the ability to educate and encourage our students to pursue careers in healthcare. This is so important to our future success given the challenges resulting from nurse shortages as well as an aging workforce in many clinical areas. I highly recommend ACCESS to create a more prepared and skilled workforce.

Stacey L. Brown, President / CEO: Odessa Regional Medical Center:

I have had the opportunity to work with Ravi Shakamuri for many years now. He is a wonderful community champion and he has a true passion for education. Ravi not only serves on our Board of Directors of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, but he is an active member of our Education Committee aswell. Ravi and the ACCESS Program open up students' minds to endless possibilities, I have applied personally to bean ACCESS participant this year and I look forward to seeing what the program can do for our young people. I applaud Ravi's work and true commitment to helping students succeed! Odessa Chamber of Commerce is excited to partner with ACCESS to strengthen student engagement and career pathways in the Permian Basin.

Renee Henderson-Earls, President/CEO: Odessa Chamber of Commerce

I am excited about working with Ravi Shakamuri and his team with his program ACCESS (Avatar Center for Communication, Engagement, and Student Success). The focus of ACCESS strengthens students ‘engagement and interest in careers in science, math and engineering. it also connects them with local mentors in these career fields.

The Lovington Municipal School District is launched the ACCESS program in Fall 2019. Nor-Lea Hospital District has a long-term vision and feels this program can help develop the future workforce that is desperately needed in Lea County to meet the growth needs in healthcare and other science, engineering and mathematical related fields. For these reasons, I strongly recommend ACCESS as it aligns with our goals for improving health and quality of life in Lea County by preparing the future workforce needed to sustain our local economy.

David Shaw, CEO, Nor-Lea Hospital, Lovington, NM

It is with great pleasure and excitement that I write to you about the creation and implementation of ACCESS through the hard work and dedication of Star Tech Group partnered with the AVID (Achievement Via Individual Determination) Department of ECISD. Students at the age of 12 and 13 are expected to begin selecting high school courses that will determine their high school graduation endorsements. At this young age they typically have no reality of their future or what they want to do as a career for the rest of t heir life.

ACCESS provides knowledge at their fingertips of career options and the reality of those career choices such as the necessary college degree or certification, course alignment, years spent in college and then the salary and demands of the desired job. This partnership is enhancing the level of instruction, increasing the knowledge accessible to students, allowing them to utilize digital tools and information in a productive manner, preparing students with collaboration skills at all levels, increasing leadership skills, and raising awareness of college and community activities for students. The community members involved are becoming invested in our schools and excited to partner with our teachers to better our future generations.

Amy Anderson, Executive Director of AVID @ Ector County ISD

The CTE program staff and leadership team are excited about ACCESS implementation at ECISD. ACCESS has numerous benefits for students, counselors, teachers and school administrators. ACCESS is a powerful tool that provides information to me as to which programs are students are most interested in and I can gain significant insights from the ACCESS reports. ACCESS supports my department in so many aspects, that I can state that in my eight years as Director, I have not seen any other career exploration program as good as ACCESS.

Carla Byrne, Executive Director for CTE @ Ector County ISD