YouthForce NOLA Awards $210K in Career Pathways Grants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Tammy C. Barney

EMAIL: tammy@youthforcenola.org



YouthForce NOLA Awards $210K in Career Pathways Grants 

Funds To Support New Approaches to Career Training at 18 Schools


New Orleans  (July 29, 2021) -- YouthForce NOLA today announced that it will award a total of $210,000 in 2021-2022 Career Pathway Grants to 18 New Orleans open-enrollment public high schools. Representing 12 Charter Management Organizations (CMOs), the schools will use the grants to fund innovative projects that help students develop technical, academic, and soft skills, as well as gain meaningful work experience.

As an intermediary, YouthForce NOLA provides key support to partnering high schools to connect and share resources, plans, data, and lessons learned. The Career Pathways Grant program is made possible by the generous support of the Walton Family Foundation.

“Career-connected learning is an important factor in opening more doors to economic opportunity for our young people,” said Cate Swinburn, YouthForce Co-Founder and President. “Our school partners’ commitment to provide students with career exploration, soft skills training, paid work experience and opportunities to earn credentials, is a strong step toward a more equitable New Orleans.”

The Career Pathway Grants support:

  • salaries and stipends for educators responsible for planning and creating resources to offer students coursework needed to obtain  industry-recognized credentials, including soft skill development and work-based learning

  • student technical training through training providers

  • equipment, curricula, and software for quality delivery of technical training 

  • professional development and expert consultation

“By serving as the connector and capacity builder for educators, employers, training providers and civic organizations, YouthForce’s efforts have provided needed resources and training for our students to realize success in life,” said New Orleans Public Schools Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. “Hundreds of students have left high school with the skills and credentials needed to get high-paying jobs.” 

Each year, YouthForce provides an average of $60,600 in direct value to each of its partner schools through internships, teacher fellowships, and programs.  Schools receive additional career-training funds through the YouthForce-managed Carl D. Perkins federal grant. 

“This funding will help schools remain engaged in Career Technical Education (CTE) during a year of school budget cuts and concerns about lost academic learning due to the pandemic,” said Claire Ackerman da Silva, YouthForce Director of School Support. “We also designated nearly $30,000 of grant funds to increase school staff capacity. These stipends will go directly to educators participating in additional cooperatives outside of school hours.”

The following schools will receive a Career Pathways Grant:

  • Edna Karr High School

  • Eleanor McMain Secondary School

  • Frederick A. Douglass High School

  • John F. Kennedy High School

  • Opportunities Academy

  • Living School

  • Livingston Collegiate Academy

  • McDonogh 35 Senior High School

  • Morris Jeff Community School - High School

  • New Harmony High School

  • New Orleans Accelerated High School

  • New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School

  • New Orleans Military & Maritime Academy

  • Rooted School 

  • Sarah T. Reed High School

  • The NET Charter High School: Central City

  • The NET Charter High School: Gentilly

  • Warren Easton Charter High School

The schools’ projects range from teaching independent living and community access skills to students with disabilities to cultivating students’ appreciation for the community and natural environment while exploring careers that have a positive impact on both.

“The YouthForce NOLA Career Pathways Grant will help us create a pipeline for individuals with disabilities that maximizes the likelihood that they will be successful in the workplace when they leave Opportunities Academy,” said Collegiate Academies' Opportunities Academy Leader Sophia Scott. 

“The Career Pathways Grant funding will support our school’s vision,” Warren Easton Charter School Leader Mervin Jackson said. “We want to equip our students with content and training to become skilled scholars with a high school diploma in one hand and a viable industry-based certification in the other.” 

For schools interested in joining the YouthForce High School Collaborative or having the opportunity to apply for a future Career Pathways Grant, contact Claire Ackerman da Silva at claire@youthforcenola.org.

About YouthForce NOLA 

YouthForce NOLA is an education, business, and civic collaborative that builds bridges between school and work. Through its network of partner schools, employers, training providers, and community organizations, YouthForce is opening more doors to economic opportunity for New Orleans students. Its vision is that New Orleans public school graduates will thrive economically as a result of being the most sought-after talent for hiring and advancement in our region’s high-wage career pathways. Learn more at YouthForceNOLA.org.

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