GULF SHORES — Jessica Sampley, academies and career and technical education director for Gulf Shores City Schools (GSCS), served on a committee for a national K-12 report creating "one of the most inspiring and rewarding experiences" in her career.

Sampley served on the committee for the K-12 STEM Education and Workforce Development in Rural Areas report after receiving a recommendation from Gulf Shores High School (GSHS) Principal Cindy Veazey and later receiving nomination from Mark McGhee at the Alabama State Department of Education.

Sampley said the report contains "insights and recommendations" that "align perfectly" with her work at GSCS, specifically in the efforts to bind Career and Technical Education (CTE) with core academics using STEM-based content.

"The report underscores the importance of leveraging place-based learning, building partnerships with local industries and addressing equity challenges in rural education," Sampley said.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) classifies Gulf Shores as being "rural fringe," which, according to the NCES website, means it is a "census-defined rural territory that is less than or equal to 5 miles from an urbanized area, as well as rural territory that is less than or equal to 2.5 miles from an urban cluster."

Sampley said this classification determines "much of our work as a school system" and that she has already implemented goals from the report in her work as she has "focused on aligning pathways with the needs of our local economy."

She noted how the report's goals go together with student-thriving initiatives at GSCS such as "Sustainability: Full STEAM Ahead," which works to inspire students to become scientists in their local ecosystem working with environmental restoration, and "Summer WAVE," which provides "real-world STEM experiences" in a variety of CTE programs offered through GSCS.

Some of the CTE and STEM classes Sampley mentioned that are offered through GSCS include marine science, health science, culinary arts, hospitality and tourism, sustainability, aviation and construction. These programs partner with local organizations and businesses to give students the opportunity to learn through "hands-on, community-led solutions."

When reflecting on what she will take away from the report, Sampley said, "this experience deepened my understanding of how localized solutions, like tapping into community resources and industries, can help rural students access STEM career pathways."

Growing up in "rural north Alabama" and spending most of her career working in rural schools, Sampley was able to provide insight to rural education in Alabama alongside other committee members, who provided insight on different U.S. regions and states, for the report.

Sampley said working with experts across the nation for the report reminded her of the "importance of cross-sector partnerships to drive systemic change."

"The committee's shared rural context shaped contributions to the report by highlighting the importance of integrating local culture, industries and environmental assets into STEM programs," Sampley said. "This approach ensures relevance for students and fosters a stronger connection to their community."

As educators, policymakers and industry leaders read the report, Sampley said she hopes they will use it "as a blueprint to invest in sustainable programs that bridge educational gaps, promote equity and foster lifelong learning opportunities for students in rural settings."

Sampley said she hopes all who read the report "recognize the untapped potential in rural communities to lead the way in STEM innovation."