Two Dozen High Schools Recommit to Career-Connected Learning

YouthForce NOLA Grants $250K to Support School Partners

More than 25 New Orleans Public Schools will continue to partner with YouthForce NOLA for the 2022-23 school year. These schools will benefit from YouthForce’s free career-connected learning programs, educator professional development, and technical assistance. Each year, YouthForce provides an average value of $60,600 to each of its partner schools through internships, teacher fellowships, and other programs.

In addition to these renewed partnerships, YouthForce awarded $210,000 in Career Pathway Grants to 13 New Orleans public high schools, and has set aside $40,000 in additional stipends for their teachers. Representing 11 Charter Management Organizations (CMOs), the schools will use these grants to help students gain meaningful work experience, and to develop technical, academic and soft skills, such as time management and communication. The main objective of this project-based funding is to help schools support and more deeply engage students with a set of strategies proven to increase attendance, core academic learning, graduation rates, and college success.

As the city’s youth talent development 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 Bloomberg Philanthropies, Institute of Mental Hygiene (IMH), and the Walton Family Foundation.

Schools receive additional funds for their career-connected learning programs via the YouthForce-managed federal Carl D. Perkins Grant, and can draw down additional, dedicated state/public funding based on career-technical education (CTE) enrollment and accurate course coding.

“We are excited that so many schools remain committed to providing our young people with career exploration, soft skills training, opportunities to earn credentials and college credits, and paid work experiences. This will allow us to continue making strong strides toward a more equitable New Orleans,” said Cate Swinburn, YouthForce co-founder and president. “These funded projects, findings and data will benefit our career-connected learning ecosystem, and will guide our collaborative members as they replicate, refine, and reimagine this learning in their schools.”

New Orleans Public Schools Superintendent Avis Williams said she is “pleased that so many of our public schools have committed to continuing their partnerships with YouthForce NOLA. Without the resources that YouthForce provides, our students would have fewer opportunities to develop their skills, and earn credentials and college credit, which are needed for high-paying, high-demand careers.”

“All the educators at our partner schools are dedicated to ensuring that young people have access to career-connected learning,” said Claire Ackerman da Silva, YouthForce director of school support. “We look forward to continuing our work with them this school year, offering the support needed to achieve their goals.”

The 13 schools that will receive a Career Pathways Grant are:

  • Edna Karr High School

  • Opportunities Academy

  • Living School

  • Livingston Collegiate Academy

  • Morris Jeff Community School - High School

  • New Harmony High School

  • The NET Charter High School: Central City

  • The NET Charter High School: Gentilly

  • New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School (Sci High)

  • New Orleans Military & Maritime Academy

  • Rooted School

  • Walter L. Cohen College Prep

  • Warren Easton Charter High School

The schools’ projects range from supporting successful post-high school transitions for students to a variety of real world work experiences, including internships and student-run businesses.

“Sci High is preparing students to be leaders in their chosen fields through robust, comprehensive career-connected learning programs,” said Dr. Monique Cola, school leader at New Orleans Charter Science & Mathematics High School. “Our students have made huge strides, and this grant from YouthForce NOLA will help us to offer access to even more students."

"At New Harmony, we are focused on teaching soft skills to our students,” said Founding School Leader Sunny Dawn Summers, “because we know that soft skill implementation will increase students' academic achievement and their opportunity to thrive."

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

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