PENCIL Partners

PENCIL Partners are businesses, universities, community organizations, professional associations, faith communities, government departments and other groups and individuals who agree to partner with Metro Nashville Public School. Partners invest time, treasure, and talent in Metro elementary, middle and high schools to address the lack of equitable access to resources.

Each partnership supports MNPS in a different way, to serve the individual needs of the school and the partner.

Some of the ways PENCIL Partners support include:

Academy Advisory Board
Career Exploration Fair
Career Mentors
Curriculum Development
Field Trips

Guest Speakers
Industry Certification Exam Tutors
Job Shadow
Loaned Classroom Instructor

Mock Interviews
Provide Learning Supplies
Student Internships
Teacher Externships
Video Chat

Academies of Nashville

An example of how PENCIL Partners have made a major impact on schools is through the Academies of Nashville. These are high school Career Academies that strengthen student skills in workforce-specific focus areas, such as arts, engineering, hospitality, information technology and healthcare, and are a major part of the Metro Nashville high school experience.

PENCIL’s goal is to match industry partners to the appropriate school or Academy, help the partner plan a set of activities and student engagements for the year, and then nurture that partnership so that students gain meaningful career exposure and make valuable real-world connections

Brandi Coates, Frist Art Museum Education Coordinator and PENCIL Emerging Leaders Board Member

PENCIL has provided many opportunities for students through career explorations and also creative opportunities to express themselves and succeed academically. I am a product of that success through Academies at Antioch High School.”