FOUR CENTRAL STUDENTS ACCEPTED INTO BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD’S PRESTIGIOUS BLUE SKY INSTITUTE — Melissa Gram, Dylan Grampp, Nicholas Garnand, Logan Stegmaier, Principal Iannarone, Addason Wellington, Bradley Leon
Four Central Students Accepted Into BlueCross BlueShield’s Prestigious BlueSky Program
Four Central High School seniors have been accepted into the new BlueSky Tennessee Institute 26 month program, according to Mrs. Stacy Alexander, college access coordinator. Nicholas Garnand, Dylan Grampp, Logan Stegmaier, and Addason Wellington were each accepted.
BlueSky Tennessee Institute is a program between BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and East Tennessee State University. Students who are accepted to the program earn a Bachelor of Science in Computing from East Tennessee State University and a job offer from BlueCross. The program focuses on information systems, information technology, computer science, cybersecurity, and modern networks. Only 31 students were accepted.
“Central High School had the most students apply out of every other school,” said Alexander.
The application process or the whole journey started when the students went to tour the campus. There they created their own video games and presented them to the BlueSky people. There were two rounds of applications in December and January. Then they had a panel interview, and about a month later they found out if they had been accepted.
Wellington described the application processes as nerve-racking, but she knew it was something that she wanted to do when she first heard about it.
“I could graduate in two years,” she began. “I could stay close to home and the field is in computer science which is what I wanted to do.” She added that this field is something she feels she will enjoy in the long run as much as she does now.
“I think I got accepted because they saw the potential in me,” she said. “I am excited to navigate this new program with the students and instructors.”
Grampp said that he knew it was something he wanted to do since he was little.
“I always had a love for computers and the program offered amazing opportunities,” he said. He is most excited about getting to learn more.
“One of the reasons I wanted to apply was because of how much I can get at the end after only being in school for two years,” Grampp added.