Initiatives for Youth
Dropout Prevention and Recovery Initiatives: School-to-Career and P-21
School-to-Career
Combining work and learning is a powerful and effective dropout prevention strategy providing many students a reason to stay in school. Students who participate in school-to-career programs attend school more regularly and graduate at a higher rate than their peers. Students also gain valuable work experience, career awareness and connections outside their communities. Under the direction of the Regional Employment Board, four local School-to-Career Partnerships connect high school students with area employers offering work-based learning experiences. For more information contact:
Springfield School-to-Career Partnership
Jorge Castellano, Director
(413) 787-7319
castellanoj@sps.springfield.ma.us
River West School-to-Career Partnership (Greater Westfield)
Tom Misiewicz, Director
(413) 564-3182
Tjmisiewicz70@comcast.net
River East School-to-Career Partnership (Wilbraham/Palmer Area)
Loretta Dansereau, Director
(413) 283-5051
restcareer@yahoo.com
Holyoke/Chicopee School-to-Career Partnership
Norman LeBlanc, Director
(413) 543-2086
nleblanc@hps.holyoke.ma.us
Pathways to Success by 21
The Pathways to Success by 21 (P-21) initiative brings together local community-based organizations , state partners and schools to improve educational and employment outcomes for at-risk youth. The Hampden County project includes both dropout prevention activities with vulnerable middle school and high school youth and dropout recovery efforts with older "disconnected" youth who are out of school and out of work.
Objectives of P-21 include increasing high school graduation rates, particularly in Springfield, Holyoke and Chicopee, increasing the number of at-risk youth transitioning to post-secondary education and training, improving employment outcomes for older youth, reconnecting dropouts with education and employment preparation programs and developing strategies to better align state and local resources and programs to more effective serve at-risk youth.
As part of the Pathways to Success by 21 (P21) program at the Hampden REB, a GED Curriculum for Learners Aged 16-21 was developed. Click here to access that curriculum.
Another product of the P-21 Initiative is the "Think Again: The Connection Between Education and True Independence" Video and Discussion Guide. This youth-driven, youth-directed public information piece features young people offering their wisdom from personal experience on dropping out of school, the impact it has had on their lives, and the decisions they have made to pursue education as a pathway to a career and a better life. Local youth from Hampden County are featured in this video and their stories demonstrate the significance of quality youth programs and how critical it is for them to get the support they need.
This "Youth Friendly" Tool is available online with information to help guide youth discussions around this topic. Please link directly to the Commonwealth Corporation website below to download the view and download the video, guide and handouts.
http://www.commcorp.org/p21/thinkagain.html
For more information contact:
Melissa Scibelli
REB Youth Project Manager
(413) 787-1541
mscibelli@rebhc.org
