Assistant Secretary Brenda Dann-Messier to Tour Rock Springs High School and Visit Western Wyoming Community College to Highlight Role of Career and Technical Education Programs in Strengthening the Economy

The U.S. Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education Brenda Dann-Messier travels to Rock Springs, Wyo., on Thursday, Sept. 13 to visit Rock Springs High School, where she will tour the school’s career academies and host a roundtable discussion on career and technical education with students, faculty, staff, and business partners. Dann-Messier also will visit Western Wyoming Community College, where she will participate in a roundtable discussion on career and technical education and college completion with faculty, staff, and students.

These Wyoming events are part of Education Drives America, the U.S. Department of Education’s third annual back-to-school bus tour. Secretary Duncan and his senior leadership team are crisscrossing the country from Sept. 12-21 for a series of events that reinforce the message that Education Drives America.

Dann-Messier leads the Department's efforts in adult education and career and technical education, as well as efforts supporting community colleges and correctional education. In April, the Department released the Obama Administration’s blueprint for transforming CTE. Dann-Messier joined U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to announce proposed reforms that will improve the quality of job-training opportunities that reduce skill shortages, spur business growth, encourage new investment and employment, and spark innovation and economic growth.

For live, up-to-the-minute updates from the road, follow the Education Drives America tour on Twitter using the hashtag #edtour1, or visit the Department’s bus tour blog. To receive media advisories, press releases, notifications about postings to the blog, and other special updates during the tour, subscribe to the Department’s Education Drives America e-mail updates by clicking here.