1. From Competence to Excellence S erving in the Cabinet of Governor Kaine as
Diplomas & Curriculim
Assistant Secretary of Education for Virginia
the main objectives include overseeing various
state agencies that fall under our Secretariat and
We believe in demanding excellence from our students and have pushed promoting the Governor’s initiatives in Education.
initiatives that go directly to the core of that goal. Studies show that a The main message of education initiatives we have
come to champion focuses on moving our students
child’s brain is 90% developed by the age of five. As a result, we must
from “competence to excellence.” We believe in
ensure more students are beginning their K-12 career on the right path. demanding excellence from our students and
have pushed initiatives that go directly to the core
of that goal.
Studies show that a child’s brain is 90% devel-
oped by the age of five. As a result, we must ensure
more students are beginning their K-12 career on
the right path. To highlight the importance of this
message we were successful in expanding the cur-
rent Virginia Pre-school Initiative program to serve
over 2000 more students by the 2008-2009 school
year and set in place the infrastructure needed to
work with private providers and expand the program
in years to come.
The Commonwealth Scholars initiative is a
public-private partnership that works directly with the
business community to encourage students to take Assistant Secretary of Education, Douglas M. Garcia and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine
more rigorous coursework during their high school
years. This initiative targets students, that are on
track to receive a Standard Diploma and with the
help of the business community emphasizes how
taking an extra year of math or science will benefit
them upon graduation in either postsecondary
or the workforce. Students who complete the
Commonwealth Scholars course of study receive
a special designation on their diploma that
recognizes their accomplishment.
The ability to close the achievement gap is
something that is personal to me. This year we are
partnering with the Hispanic College fund to hold two
Hispanic Youth Symposia in the Commonwealth of
Virginia. The Symposia, hosted by George Mason
University and the University of Richmond, will bring
together over 400 students for a four day, three night
event that will provide students with the information
and resources necessary to navigate the college
process. This is an issue that I am very passionate
about due to my own experiences. I am the young-
est of five siblings and witnessed first hand the
hardships that my parents had to endure trying to
provide for their children. If it was not for a scholar-
ship my oldest brother earned it would have been
unlikely that his studies would have continued be-
yond high school. Programs like these go a long way
in exposing Hispanic youth to the many resources
available to them that their parents unfortunately
may not be able to provide due to the language bar-
rier and lack of knowledge of the Education system.
My experience working in Governor Kaine’s
Cabinet has given me a better appreciation on what
it truly means to be a public servant. Having the
opportunity to play a role in many of the Governor’s
initiatives in the area of education has been a truly
rewarding experience.
Tel +1.804.786.2211
Governor Kaine is accompanied by Assistant Secretary of Education Doug Garcia as he visits Swansboro Middle School in the city of Richmond. With this School visit, Governor Kaine completed a mission
www.Governor.Virginia.gov
he took on when he was Lt. Governor to visit a school in every city and county in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
126 Best of DC Best of DC 12
Douglas M. Garcia, T. C. Williams Class of 1997, was awarded The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria (photo - www.tisaraphoto.com)