NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Feb. 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE: HII) announced that the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC) honored HII President and CEO Mike Petters and his wife, Nancy Briggs Petters, with its annual Peninsula Humanitarian Award in recognition of their efforts to deliver high-quality early childhood education in Hampton Roads. They were among seven awardees announced at an event held Feb. 20 in Newport News.

Both Mike and Nancy Petters support multiple organizations across the area that work to enhance the lives of children. They are tireless supporters of the Downtown Hampton Child Development Center (DHCDC), where Nancy serves as the president of the board of directors. DHCDC is a nonprofit preschool that serves 200 children between the ages of 6 weeks and 5 years. The school’s mission is to nurture young children by providing affordable, quality preschool programs that develop the “whole child” and foster school readiness.

Additionally, Mike and Nancy support An Achievable Dream, a nationally recognized K–12 program dedicated to the belief that all children can learn and succeed regardless of their economic status. An Achievable Dream goes beyond academics to provide students with a comprehensive social, academic and moral education to develop productive citizens upon high school graduation. Mike and Nancy also sponsor Camp Launch, a two-week residential program that provides eligible seventh- and eighth-grade Virginia students with enrichment and academic opportunities at the College of William and Mary. 

In addition to his extensive work in the community to champion education, Mike established the HII Scholarship Fund in 2016 to annually provide scholarships for children of HII employees who are pursuing post-secondary college or technical/vocation degrees, or who are enrolled in pre-K school readiness programs. Mike declines his annual salary, but for $1, to fund the program.