Assistant Secretary of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana will join Congressman Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., for a visit to Pine Bush High School at 11 a.m. Monday, July 11, to observe the school's innovative summer enrichment academies. Following a tour of each of the academies, Meléndez and Hinchey will address an assembly of staff, students and local dignitaries.
Meléndez plays a pivotal role in federal policy and management issues affecting elementary and secondary education. She directs, coordinates and recommends policy for programs designed to assist state and local education agencies with improving the academic achievement of elementary and secondary school students.
Pine Bush High School, located in Orange County, N.Y., serves a diverse student body drawn from three counties and seven towns. The school has developed six summer enrichment academies to which students competitively apply, including the Leadership and Law Academy, the Literacy and Education Academy, the Science Academy, the Medical Science Academy, the Aviation Academy, and the Summer Performing Arts Academy. The 17-day summer programs provide a unique opportunity for students to explore various careers and engage in hands-on learning at the guidance of experts from the school and surrounding region.