January 2008
SSI State Roundup
New Hampshire. Tennessee. Virginia Wyoming
We invited SSI states to update us on their progress and projects. Here are reports from four states: New Hampshire, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wyoming.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire was chosen as an SSI state in late 2006 and has moved its program forward with brio. After launching last year with four school districts – Kingswood, Newport, Stevens, and Winnisquam – New Hampshire Scholars is in a growth spurt. Director Scott Power plans on adding another 15 high schools this spring to satisfy high interest from districts throughout the state. Marge Chiafery, superintendent of one of those districts, Merrimack, says, “The school-business partnership is a unique dynamic that will enrich the learning of our students. Business leaders clearly understand that today’s students are their future employees. Our students can learn so much from them.”
In other districts business leaders are already creating strong relationships with students. At Winnisquam Regional High School (WRHS) in Tilton, business partners sponsor monthly activities, providing incentives for those in the program and creating a “club” that promotes the initiative to other students. Last November, businesses sponsored a pizza Q & A session for New Hampshire Scholars participants and prospects. In December, business partners offered a breakfast and career event for New Hampshire Scholars participants: students were able to conduct informational interviews with business leaders working in their fields of interest. “Our business community has shown tremendous interest in this project,” says Gary Steinbach, school-to-work director and New Hampshire Scholars coordinator at WRHS. “We encourage the community to get involved at whatever level they are comfortable with. For our students, hearing it from local business professionals really hits home. New Hampshire Scholars has given students in our school a reason to take classes they would not normally have challenged themselves with.”
In addition, through the New England Board of Higher Education, New Hampshire Scholars has been active in the College Ready New England campaign, working with a group of New Hampshire higher education professionals to help students and parents more easily access the state’s college-readiness programs.
Tennessee
In December aluminum manufacturer Alcoa announced that the Alcoa Foundation was awarding a $150,000 grant to the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce to support the Tennessee Scholars Initiative. “We’re pleased that Alcoa Foundation is able to help the Tennessee Scholars program continue and expand its positive work with Tennessee students,” says Brett McBrayer, smelting manager for Alcoa’s Tennessee operations and a member of the Tennessee Chamber. “The success of this program will help ensure that businesses throughout Tennessee have a viable workforce well into the future. ”Alcoa, which funds the Alcoa Foundation, employs over 2,500 people in Tennessee.
The Scholars program was implemented in Tennessee in 2003. The program is currently available in 46 counties, with over 60 percent of Tennessee’s school districts and 25,000 students participating. In addition to Alcoa, sponsors include Bridgestone Americas Holdings, City Net Links, Dollar General, Eastman Chemical, FedEx, Blue Bell Foundation (Vanity Fair), Memorial Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Minuteman Press, Sander Marketing Group, the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ted Welch, and Wal-Mart.
The state has solid college-aid offerings for successful Scholars. Ten postsecondary institutions – including state colleges and community colleges, as well as Tennessee Technology Centers – currently provide scholarships for Tennessee Scholars. “Programs like the Tennessee Scholars Initiative and Teach Tennessee that bring career professionals into the classroom as teachers or mentors provide real inspiration to students to set their goals a little higher,” says Governor Phil Bredesen. “The business community is an essential partner in our work to improve our schools and prepare our young people for the jobs of the future.” The goal is to implement the program throughout the state by 2012.
VirginIa
Virginia has been a very active SSI state since 2006: there are now Commonwealth Scholars programs in 11 districts, and a pilot program is slated to be launched in Dickenson County. The Dickenson County School System was recently awarded an Appalachian Regional Commission Flex E Grant to implement a pilot Commonwealth Scholars Program for 8th graders. The Flex E Grant Program, designed to help rural communities jumpstart their local economies, provides grants to help address technical assistance, leadership, and civic capacity needs. In November, the Dickenson County Chamber of Commerce featured Commonwealth Scholars at their annual banquet, which was attended by more than 300 business and community leaders.
Wyoming
Wyoming, one of SSI’s “youngest” states, has made impressive progress on several fronts. The Wyoming State Scholars Initiative had its formal kick-off last September at the capitol rotunda in Cheyenne, launching the program in three districts: Fremont 25, Natrona 1, and Niobrara 1. “Becoming a Wyoming Scholar will provide further opportunities for our young people to access higher education or get a better start on a fulfilling career,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jim McBride told those in attendance. “This program really throws the door open for more college aid and more career options.”
In the months since, the state has been busy. The program’s sponsoring organization, the Wyoming P-16 Education Council, received Wyoming Department of Education/National Governors Association grant funds of approximately $34,000. The state added two new districts – Big Horn 3 and Laramie 2 – and also launched its business-education outreach efforts, mailing brochures to a wide range of businesses, from golf pros to saddlemakers. The program is currently working to schedule business professionals for training sessions and middle school presentations for all five of its participating school districts. In addition, school counselors are making lists of school-specific mentoring ideas for business volunteers (one communications class, for instance, wants to hear from a horse whisperer).
An internship/apprenticeship program based at Laramie County Community College (and funded by the state of Wyoming through the Department of Workforce Services and the Wyoming Workforce Development Council) will give preferred status to Wyoming Scholars. The program places students in internships and jobs for which they may receive credit hours. Career counselors in SSI districts and SSI personnel were given passwords enabling them to search various databases for the student positions.
