Community Involvement

NTE Project Team Talks Work Zone Safety

On Tuesday, April 24, the North Tarrant Express (NTE) project team, together with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the LBJ Express project team, hosted a press conference to discuss work zone safety.

April 23-27 is National Work Zone Awareness Week and provided an important opportunity to highlight for the media and the community the critical need for safety when driving through active work zones. "With hundreds of workers on the road, it is imperative for the safety of our project team and corridor drivers that people slow down, stay alert, and put down the phones when they see orange cones," said Robert Hinkle, corporate affairs director for NTE Mobility Partners, the NTE project developer.

TxDOT's Brian Barth urged drivers to "Drive Smart and Arrive Alive!" Barth reported that there have been an average of 3,500 work zone accidents during the last three years; in 2010, there were more than 3,000 accidents and 14 fatalities.

The many factors in the majority of the accidents are alcohol and drug related, excessive speed or distracted driving. Nearly one in four accidents resulted from a driver who was distracted by a mobile device.

"Safety is paramount," said Hinkle. "We urge people to follow the 50 MPH speed limit and be extra aware of lane shifts and traffic signage." The Beat the Traffic feature on the home page of the NTE website provides real-time traffic conditions as well as information on lane closures.

NTE Project Staff Talks Math and Science with Haltom High AP Students

Questions about college majors, career choices and the pros and cons of international assignments were the talk of the day at Haltom High School on March 29. More than 50 students enrolled in the school's Advanced Placement (AP) math, science and English program participated in roundtable discussions with NTE project CEOs, engineers, safety experts, and others.

Last May, NTE Mobility Partners and Bluebonnet Contractors teamed up with AP Strategies, the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) and Birdville Independent School District (BISD) to launch a new AP program at Haltom High that would help drive student enrollment and achievement in advanced, college-level courses. Success in AP coursework is a strong corollary to higher college graduation rates.

This was the first opportunity for students to meet and interact with some of the key staff on the NTE project. "This is a win-win event," said Robert Hinkle, director of corporate affairs for NTE Mobility Partners. "In talking with the project staff, students are able to connect their math and science studies to real-world applications. Our staff, in turn, can see firsthand how our grant is helping these very talented students reach new heights; we can see our future workforce in these kids."

Steve Hankins, the Director of Design and Construction at NTEMP, explained to students that he thought he was going to major in political science when he entered college. But he decided to shift to a field with more job security and considered architecture before ultimately switching to civil engineering. He went on to earn his bachelor's and master's degrees in civil engineering. "It's been the best choice for me and my family," he said.

Students were excited about the event: "It's great to learn about the project and meet with people who love their jobs,"said Khadijah H., a senior. The new AP program also received high marks from participating students: "This has prepared me to learn more at a much more rigorous pace," said Vy T., a senior.

Haltom High Principal Clarence Simmons commended the AP students for taking on the challenge of mastering college-level work, saying, "In an age where people do just what they need to get by, you students prove how hard you are willing to work. You are what's right about the world. Thank you for going above and beyond. You are shining examples for our Metroplex and our state."

The March 29 event is the first in a series that will bring students and project staff together through in-class instruction and field trips.

In addition to involving the community in the North Tarrant Express project, NTE Mobility Partners is committed to giving back to the communities of Euless, Hurst, Bedford, North Richland Hills, Richland Hills, Haltom City and Fort Worth, as well as Tarrant County. The partner organizations in NTE Mobility Partners have a long history of supporting local communities through volunteerism and other contributions.

NTE-Supported AP Program Progresses at Haltom High

In May of 2011, the NTE project team announced a five-year, $476,750 grant to Haltom High School in the Birdville Independent School District. The grant is funding the implementation of a nationally recognized Advanced Placement (AP) math, science and English program - the Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program (APTIP) - in partnership with the National Math and Science Initiative and AP Strategies. The goal of the program is to help drive student enrollment and achievement in rigorous, college-level courses, which are correlated with success in college.

Progress to date in the program includes:

- APTIP campus administrator team training took place in August 2011
- APTIP "kick off" pep rally took place in September 2011
- AP teacher training sessions initiated in August; 17 teachers have attended so far
- "Catalyst" mentors (experts from around the country in specific subjects) have been assigned
- Materials and equipment have been ordered using $10,000 mini-grants
- Saturday student prep sessions began in December; more than 75 students have participated so far
- AP campus coordinator training took place in early February.

In March, NTE project staff will participate in a serious of roundtables with Haltom High AP math and science students, allowing them to learn more about the professionals' educational background and career experiences and how those have led to their current roles on the NTE project.

NTE Project Welcomes Engineering Students

Approximately 15 students from the University of Texas at Arlington's student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ACSE) had the opportunity to visit with the NTE project team in January.

Accompanied by civil engineering professor Dr. Jim Williams, the students were given a tour of the full 13.5-mile corridor, riding along with the project's independent engineers, CH2M Hill, and members of the project safety team. The students and Dr. Williams had high praise for the opportunity: "Most of our coursework is geared towards analysis and design; construction issues such as sequencing, traffic control, and so forth are difficult to cover in a class. So, the best way for students to get an idea of what is happening is through presentations at ASCE meetings and especially through field trips such as this one."

This opportunity is one of many provided to students in the community as part of the NTE project team's commitment to furthering science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in the region.

NTE Supports Community Revitalization Project

Recently, the NTE project team helped support 6 Stones, a nonprofit organization that facilitates much-needed community revitalization projects. As part of its Community Powered Revitalization (CPR) project, 6 Stones helps elderly, handicapped and disabled individuals with home repairs in the cities of Hurst, Euless and Bedford.

In January, NTE provided resources for a 6 Stones project, donating dirt excavated from the project to help an elderly widow in Bedford fill up a concrete pool that was in complete disrepair and coming out of the ground.

For more information on these projects, please visit 6 Stones.org.

Haltom High School Kicks Off AP Math and Science Program

On Thursday, September 8, Haltom High School held a school-wide pep rally to launch its new Advanced Placement math and science program, which is being funded by a $476,750 grant from the NTE project team. Project staff, along with representatives from the Birdville ISD school board, TxDOT and AP Strategies (which is administering the program), were on hand for the celebration. The special event included performances by Haltom High band members, cheerleaders, singers and high-steppers, along with remarks by Texas State Representative Kelly Hancock and NTE corporate affairs director Robert Hinkle.

Photo: Haltom High Principal Clarence Simmons gratefully accepts the check from NTE Mobility Partners.

NTE Project Team Awards STEM Education Grant to Haltom High

On Monday, May 23, the North Tarrant Express project team awarded a five-year, $476,750 grant to Haltom High School in the Birdville Independent School District. The grant will fund the implementation of a nationally recognized AP math, science and English program - Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program - in partnership with the National Math and Science Initiative and AP Strategies, to help drive student enrollment and achievement in rigorous, college-level courses. Success in AP courses is directly correlated with both success in college: receiving a passing score on an AP exam makes students up to three times more likely to graduate from college.

Photo: Haltom High Principal Mike Jasso (second from left) and Interim Superintendent Dr. Jay Thompson (center) are presented with the grant by Robert Hinkle (left) and Belen Marcos (second from right) from NTE Mobility Partners and Jose Carlos Esteban (right) of Bluebonnet Contractors.