Summer, 2007

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The REB, at its June 20th Board meeting, was pleased to present a $2,000 scholarship award to Springfield High School of Commerce Senior, Shakei Haynes (pictured above with REB Chair Michael Niziolek to his left and REB Youth Council Chair,Cleveland Burton to his right).  The funds will match his own monies to support his participation in the Junior Statesman Summer School at Yale University where he will learn about government and leadership. The scholarship was made possible by a donation from U.S. Tsubaki's Automotive Divisionto this year's Summer Youth Program and pictured above on the right is its President and REB Board member, Mark Miller, at this summer's Mayoral press conference, coordinated by Springfield Mayor Charles V. Ryan, Holyoke Mayor Michael Sullivan and Westfield Mayor Richard Sullivan.  Shakei will also receive travel and living assistance from theDavis Foundationand following summer school, will intern for 4 weeks at the REB. Best of luck to Shakei!

It is not too late to hire a fully screened young person for the summer!  For more information, please call CareerPoint (413-532-4900), FutureWorks (413-858-2800) or Kathryn Kirby at the REB (413-755-1359).

Also at the REB's June 20th Board of Director's meeting, Martha Owen was added as a new board member.  Ms. Owen is Director of Adult Education for Holyoke Public Schools and oversees the Juntos Collaborative, a consortium of various community-based organizations that has been providing literacy services in Holyoke for many years.  We welcome her aboard!  We also regret to have received resignations from James Morton, President/CEO of the Greater Springfield YMCA, and Richard Wells, President and COO of Hampden Papers, but certainly thank them for their time on the Board.  For a complete list of all current Board members, pleasevisit our web site.

SPOTLIGHT SOLUTION ~ LITERACY WORKS!

More than 100 people, including legislative leaders from the Massachusetts House and Senate, attended a "Breakfast of Champions'' at The Delaney House in Holyoke May 25 to honor leaders in the cause of literacy. The program, which connected lawmakers with adult education students, included two special "Literacy Luminary'' awards to Holyoke Mayor Michael J. Sullivan and Hampden County Sheriff Michael J. Ashe Jr.(pictured above, left to right respectively). Peter Rosskothen, owner of The Log Cabin and The Delaney House, received a "Literacy Leader'' award for donating the entire breakfast on behalf of literacy.

A dozen lawmakers were represented at the event, including House Speaker Pro Tempore Thomas M. Petrolati and Senate Ways and Means Committee member Michael Knapik. All of the lawmakers received framed certificates of appreciation from adult education students and signed The Hampden County Literacy Compact, a scroll designating literacy as a priority in the public agenda.  The program also included speeches from three students whose lives have been transformed through literacy programs. 

The event was planned by Literacy Works Project Director Marie P. Grady as a means to both honor literacy leaders and bring attention to the cause of literacy at a time when adult education funding faces significant state funding cuts. 

Contact Marie viaemail or at 413-755-1367 to see how you can help!

SPOTLIGHT SOLUTION ~ NEXT STEP!

The NextStep Program has just passed its 10 year anniversary milestone!  Next Step is a collaborative effort of both the CareerPoint and FutureWorks One Stop Career Centers. The program offers job search & job readiness services to those receiving assistance to families with dependent children through the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA). Center staff work in each of the three Hampden County DTA offices; and participants also receive services at the two Career Centers.

Over the past 10 years, Next Step has successfully assisted thousands to re-enter the workforce, taking those initial steps towards building their self-sufficiency. Working with the One-Stops, DTA Case Workers, the Department of Career Services that oversees the program at the State level and numerous programs that provide support services like Dress for Success, and the REB's Post-Employment Services program, it has been an invaluable resource to the individuals looking to take that "Next Step"!  Pictured above at a recent luncheon to honor their success are, from top left, ChristineAbramowitz from the REB, Mary Russell, Next Step Director, Rebecca Willoughby,long-time Next Step Counselor, Mildred Colon,who through the assistance of the program now works for the City of Springfield, and below them, David Gadaire and Rexene Picard, Executive Directors of Career Point and FutureWorks Career Centers, respectively.  Kudos to the Next Step Team!!

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

• More on Literacy Works ~ Governor Duvall Patrick's special adviser on education, Dr. Dana Mohler Faria, toured Springfield schools and learned about literacy needs on a June 14 visit arranged by Henry M. Thomas III, a member of the REB Board and the Hampden County Literacy Cabinet.  In a lunch with Cabinet members arranged by REB Board and Literacy Cabinet member Robert J. Schwarz, Dr. Faria agreed that erasing a literacy gap in Hampden County is central to any economic development plan for the region.

• The REB's Regional Networks (RENEW) Initiative was recently awarded a $409,788 grant to expand it's activities through the "Precision Manufacturing Training Project (PMTP)" which has as its primary goals to 1) provide training in Machine Tool Technology to 40 unemployed/underemployed individuals and 2) establish 40 training slots per year to provide skills enhancement to 60 current workers. This will increase the industry's capacity to penetrate specific highly specialized and complementary markets. Funding is through the state's Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund, which is being managed by the Commonwealth Corporation (click on name to see more info on all the grants that were awarded).  For more info on RENEW or PMTP contact David Cruise byemail or at 413-755-1367.

• The REB's CAN DO Initiative, which is addressing the region's nursing shortage, announces the selection of 10 students through its STAR Pilot Project. $75,000 will be distributed to support these bachelor's degree nurses in their first year as graduate students in nursing.  Contact Kelly Aiken viaemail or at 413-755-1369 for more info on this initiative!

• FY-2008 Annual Workforce Development Business Plan - The REB, with the agreement of the region's Chief Elected Official, Mayor Charles V. Ryan of Springfield, has developed a FY-2008 "Annual Workforce Development Business Plan" for Hampden County, subject to State approval.  As a strategic plan, it looks at the broad scope of how the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) system will be coordinated with other systems to improve services for both job seekers and employers and articulates the region's priorities and strategies for workforce development.  Visit our website to view and/or download a full copy of the FY'08 Plan as submitted, or an Executive Summary.