ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and its Board of Directors is pleased to announce Hillwood: a Perot Company as an ACTE Business-Education Partnership Award Winner. The Business-Education Partnership Award celebrates the contributions and achievements of schools and businesses that aid in the development and maintenance of partnerships supporting high-quality career and technical education (CTE).
Hillwood is the developer of AllianceTexas, a thriving 27,000-acre master-planned community in North Texas. For 35 years, AllianceTexas has been an economic powerhouse for the region, driving business growth, innovation, job creation, housing, and educational collaboration. Hillwood remains committed to workforce development, with a dedicated team focused on connecting industry and education.
From the beginning, Hillwood has prioritized partnerships with local school districts, private schools, community colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations that share its mission of supporting children and education. Reflecting this commitment, Tom Harris, Executive Vice President at Hillwood, currently serves as Chair of Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker’s Council on Education and Workforce Development, where he leads efforts to strengthen the local education-to-career pipeline. Mercedes Bolen, Vice President of External Affairs & Strategic Initiatives, is also instrumental in facilitating partnerships between educational institutions and businesses as well as state and local programs, including the Tarrant To and Through Partnership (T3), Texas Workforce Commission, and North Central Texas Council of Governments.
Hillwood’s emphasis on collaboration between industry and education has created an ideal environment for student work-based learning experiences. Under the leadership of Hope Bell, Director of Customer Experience, and Sara Hunton, Manager of Customer Experience, Hillwood launched the AllianceTexas Student Influencers program. This nine-month initiative provides a select group of local high school juniors with leadership development, career exploration, professional networking, and hands-on project management opportunities. By the end of the program, students gain valuable insights into the professional world, enhance teamwork skills, and build confidence in public speaking. Now in its fourth year, the Student Influencers program has become a cornerstone of Hillwood’s efforts to support the education-to-workforce pipeline.
The success of this initiative relies on a significant investment of human capital. Hope Bell and Sara Hunton oversee the program, with support from numerous industry partners and AllianceTexas-based companies who volunteer their time to engage with students. As a member of the ESC Region 11 Regional Industry Advisory Board Executive Team, Hope has been instrumental in gaining support with the Board and expanding the program model to involve more companies across the ten-county region, deepening connections between high school students and industry in meaningful ways.
Hillwood will be recognized alongside other national ACTE award winners on December 4, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. ET, at the annual ACTE Awards Gala. For more information on the Excellence Awards and the Awards Gala, visit http://www.acteonline.org/awards.
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About ACTE
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is the nation’s largest not-for-profit association committed to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers. ACTE represents the community of CTE professionals, including educators, administrators, researchers, school counselors, guidance and career development professionals and others at all levels of education. ACTE is committed to excellence in providing advocacy, public awareness and access to resources