ATHOL – Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey visited Athol High School Thursday, where she toured manufacturing and robotics classrooms associated with the school’s Innovation Career Pathways Program as part of an announcement of a new statewide investment.

Healey backed up this expression of support for the classroom training initiative by announcing $65,000 to expand the AHS program in two separate grants. She said the money comes from $1 million being given to 29 school districts in Massachusetts that are participating in or planning to utilize the Innovative Career Pathways Program.

“In Massachusetts, we want to ensure that what students learn in school helps them get to where they want to go, while also meeting our workforce needs. That’s why we are invested in Innovation Career Pathways. Today’s funding will help expand these critical opportunities – from Northampton to Barnstable – that inspire students to plan career paths for today’s innovation economy,” said Healey in a statement.

This funding will enable districts to plan and implement pathway programs that provide students with coursework and experiences in STEM industries before they graduate high school, including health care, technology, manufacturing, life sciences and environmental sustainability, according to an announcement made on Thursday. The Blackstone-Millville, Milford, Old Rochester (regional district serving Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester) and Wilmington school districts are receiving funding to design Innovation Career Pathways programs for the first time.

Rural Affairs Director Anne Gobi, state Rep. Susannah Whipps, I-Athol, Athol Town Manager Shaun Suhoski, Royalston Select Board Chair Shelby Bronnes and Athol-Royalston Regional School District Superintendent Matthew Ehrenworth were among the officials on hand for Thursday’s visit.

Massachusetts Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler, who visited AHS three weeks ago to encourage college-bound students to complete their financial aid applications, accompanied the governor on her tour of the robotics and precision measurements classrooms.

“In those classrooms,” said Tutwiler, “I saw personalization, I saw deep, deep engagement, I saw collaboration, I saw the things that are so meaningful to students to experience in high school. That’s part of our bigger initiative around reimagining high school. Innovative Career Pathways is key to that. Students are able to make a connection between what they’re experiencing every single day and the career path that they’re interested in. That is so important. We want more and more students in Massachusetts to have this opportunity.”

Tutwiler added that the funding being given to Athol High School would be used for information technology classes.

Prior to the governor’s arrival, AHS Principal David King told the Athol Daily News that the visit and awarding of $65,000, “Is reaffirming that the steps we’ve taken over the last few years to re-imagine what the high school format looks like – moving away from just offering a traditional model to offering programming that serves all student needs. It aligns better with what our kids are asking for – experiences connected to the real world, connected to industry, connected to opportunities in the workforce.

“This underscores the state’s commitment to fund schools and programs that are supporting the Innovation Career Pathways model. This funding is important for us to continue to build off what we currently have, which is advanced manufacturing. We submitted for our second pathway, which is information technology.”

As part of the school’s manufacturing pathway, L.S. Starrett of Athol provides materials and tools for the students.

King said he hopes to add new pathways in the near future, including health care, business and clean energy – pathways more in line with what’s going to happen in the 21st century. King said not every AHS student is interested in going to college, “and we want to support them at the high school level that prepare them for jobs they might fill when they graduate. That’s tremendously important for us.”

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.