Governor Glenn Youngkin and Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears cutting the ribbon on Shenandoah Valley’s Data Science, Computing, and Applications Lab School on September 3, 2025. Official Photo by Kaitlyn DeHarde, Office of Governor Glenn Youngkin.

RICHMOND, VA – Governor Glenn Youngkin announced today the opening of the Shenandoah Valley Rural Regional College Partnership Lab School for Data Science, Computing, and Applications at a commemorative ribbon-cutting at Dowell J. Howard High School in Winchester, Virginia. The Lab School is the product of strong partnerships between George Mason University, Laurel Ridge Community College, and the Governor’s School at Mountain Vista, alongside six rural school divisions: Clarke, Fauquier, Page, Shenandoah, and Warren Counties, and Winchester Public Schools.

“Back to School is in full swing across the Commonwealth, and with the launch of today’s Lab School even more Virginia high school students in the Shenandoah Valley will be able to seize and benefit from a great educational opportunity catered to their interests,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “From Day One, we have made it our mission to restore excellence in education by raising the floor and removing the ceiling on innovative new ways for students to learn in-demand skills that are driving the careers of today and tomorrow. By creating personalized pathways where students can pursue their interests and chase their dreams, we are empowering the next generation with the data-literacy skills they need to succeed in an increasingly data-driven workforce.”

The DSCA Lab School will create a data-literate next generation workforce, that possesses the skills, knowledge, and mindset necessary to thrive, problem-solve, and bring about positive change in a data-driven world. The Lab School will provide students with innovative pathways designed to help students and teachers from rural school divisions incorporate data science, computing, and applications expertise into their skill sets and instruction.

“Data science is the fastest-growing industry in Virginia, projected to grow 18.2% in the next five years,” said Secretary of Education Aimee Rogstad Guidera. “The GMU DSCA Lab School will provide students in rural Virginia the exposure, experience, and expertise necessary to be part of this exciting sector.”

The school will support Grades 11 and 12, and will support 10th Graders as they approach the application process. Academic programming will center around data science and computing while fostering data literacy, showcasing the latest innovations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Research opportunities, apprenticeships and internships, experiential and project-based learning, and certifications and microcredentials in data analytics are available through the program. Students will also have the opportunity to earn an associate’s degree and college credits. The school will also become a STEM, Data, and Computing hub for engaging teachers across the Commonwealth to continuously enhance their own pedagogical skills to integrate data science into their instructional practices.

“The GMU DSCA Lab School represents a forward-thinking approach to education, building a future-ready workforce that is equipped, empowered and ready to lead,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Emily Anne Gullickson. “Models like this between education and industry ensure more students are prepared for the digital economy and become leaders in innovation.”

At the DSCA Lab School, students will work on specific, student-led research projects with peers, faculty, and other researchers. Mentorship is offered to students throughout the program by Big Data business and industry partners through a choice of work-based experiences to equal a minimum of one high school credit per year. Global and multicultural experiences are integral to the program as well, and students will interact with peers from US territories (Puerto Rico) and developing countries.

“The mission of the Shenandoah Valley Rural Regional College Partnership Lab School for Data Science, Computing, and Applications is to create innovative pathways between an education and a career, and meaningful partnerships between students and teachers,” said GMU Professor and DSCA Lab School lead Padhu Seshaiyer. “Students from rural school divisions will gain the expertise needed to make informed decisions, contribute to their communities, and thrive in a data-driven world—empowering a data-literate next-generation workforce prepared for the demands of the modern economy and essential for workforce readiness.”

Students in Grade 12 will be provided with multiple capstone opportunities allowing them to dive into research pathways led by faculty across the Commonwealth in partnership with their classroom teacher, apprenticeship pathways through partnerships with local companies in the Valley and Northern Virginia regions, and credentialing pathways offered by major organizations including Google, Amazon, and Cisco.

For more information about lab schools throughout the Commonwealth, those interested are invited to visit this VDOE Laboratory Schools Overview.

Read More: https://governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/news-releases/2025/september/name-1057918-en.html