Closing the
Achievement
Gap: Strategies
from the FieldDeveloping the
Character of
Our Future
Workforce
Thank you for joining today’s
webinar! The presentation will
begin momentarily.
Today’s Speakers
Debbi Moore,
President & CEO,
Greater Las Cruces Chamber
of Commerce
Arron Jiron,
Senior Program Officer,
S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation
Rhetta Hunyady,
Vice President,
Education & Training, Flint &
Genesee Chamber of
Commerce
• Learn how chambers are meeting future workforce needs through character development programming
• Get questions answered on how to tackle this work—How do wetalk about? Do it? Support it?
• Learn about available ACCE resources on youth character development
What have we missed? What do you want to get out of this webinar? Add questions and comments in the question
function to the right of your screen.*
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Objectives
Today’s Speakers
Debbi Moore,
President & CEO,
Greater Las Cruces Chamber
of Commerce
Arron Jiron,
Senior Program Officer,
S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation
Rhetta Hunyady,
Vice President,
Education & Training, Flint &
Genesee Chamber of
Commerce
Real Voices. Real Jobs. Real Growth. Real Opportunity.
Real Voices. Real Jobs. Real Growth. Real Opportunity.
Greater Las Cruces (NM) Chamber of Commerce
“Junior Leadership Las Cruces (JrLLC)”
Presented by
Debbi Moore, President & CEO
May 24, 2017
ACCE Webinar: Developing the
Character of Our Future Workforce
Real Voices. Real Jobs. Real Growth. Real Opportunity.
Historical Data:• Program began in school year 2012-13
• Open to all juniors in Las Cruces High Schools (public,private, charter)
• Application process – Selection by Chamber JrLLC advisory council – Maximum of 32 students per program year
Real Voices. Real Jobs. Real Growth. Real Opportunity.
Key Elements of Success:• Buy-in by school district & administrators
– School counselors are key to quality applicants
– Open to all students
• Support of parents
• Involvement of participants– Divide group into teams; Each team assist in preparing the
agenda for each program day
– Continual feedback from students throughout the year– Active program days i.e. tours of various facilities, stay
relevant with current community issues
Real Voices. Real Jobs. Real Growth. Real Opportunity.
Program Information:• Parent Orientation/Informational Meeting
• Student Orientation
• 7 program days– Agriculture
– Education
– Economic Development
– Healthcare
– Military Affairs
– Government
– Community/Culture/Quality of Life
Real Voices. Real Jobs. Real Growth. Real Opportunity.
Program Information:• Blending community knowledge with leadership development
• Follow the “7 Habits of High Effective Teens” – Each program day follows one of the chapters. Each group is assigned a chapter & have to make presentation to group on their assigned program day
• Each day is ended with a recap of the day & it ’s relationship to leadership and theparticipants future
• Using program as tool for access to higher education or career pathways• Higher Education institutes in our area make presentations of various career
opportunities
• Tie each day to potential career opportunities
• Partner with existing career programs in high schools
Real Voices. Real Jobs. Real Growth. Real Opportunity.
Recognition:• Have a special graduation celebration for the
participants, along with their parents• Plaque
• Congratulatory letter from the Mayor or other Elected Officials, potentially the Governor, etc.
• Letter of reference to use for college, employment applications
• Give students opportunity to speak at their graduation & potentially other Chamber events
Real Voices. Real Jobs. Real Growth. Real Opportunity.
General Thoughts:• Working on 1 hr credit for participants
• Educate your Chamber Board on program• Have them attend a program day or Graduation
• Develop an alumni plan to follow participants• Keep in touch – they are great “Chamber advocates” & can be
involved in Young Professionals, mentor elementary & mid-school students
Real Voices. Real Jobs. Real Growth. Real Opportunity.
Success:• One of our first JrLLC graduates is an incoming Senior at New
Mexico State University and will serve as President of the Student Government for the 2017-2018 academic year & served as guest speaker at this year ’s JrLLC graduation & credited the program with his success.
• Parents become strong supporters & members of the Chamber
• Parents also oftentimes attend our Leadership Las Cruces (adult community leadership program)
Real Voices. Real Jobs. Real Growth. Real Opportunity.
Conclusion:
In the Chamber world, we talk so much about mentoring our youth, preparing them the workforce
and creating great citizens, our Junior Las Cruces Leadership program is a piece of accomplishing this.
Real Voices. Real Jobs. Real Growth. Real Opportunity.
Conclusion:
In the words of the great philosopher, Dr. Suess, a little take onhis famous words that I use to guide our advisory council:
“Oh the places we will lead them, the places they will go, nomountain too high, no river to wide, no valley too low
Oh, the places we will lead them. Ready. Set. Go.”
Youth DevelopmentPrograms
FGCC has been providing educational/career preparation services in Genesee County for over two decades.
The Chamber now serves thousands of youth each yearthrough four innovative programs.
Educational and Career Preparation
Services
YouthQuest TeenQuestSummer Youth
Initiative Career Edge
YouthQuest
• Free afterschool program• Created in 2009• Serves 15 schools, grades K-12• Serves over 2,000 students• Based on six core tenets:
– Academic Support– Enrichment Activities– Family and Community Engagement– Nutrition Education– Physical Fitness– Leadership Development
YouthQuest, Continued
• YouthQuest’s unique offerings include:
– Over 60 field trips each year
– Relationships with 12+ colleges and universities
– Contracts with over 70 vendors and industry experts
– Dozens of afterschool clubs
– Project-based learning modules
– Heavy emphasis on literacy and STEM initiatives
• All supported by a highly-trained frontline staff of learning guides and facilitators
TeenQuest
• Created in 2005
• Serves students from 37 schools in Genesee County
• Graduated over 500 students in 2016
• Is offered 5 times each year in 5-week sessions
• Focuses on pre-employment and leadership training
• Facilitated by education and business professionals with decades of experience
TeenQuest, Continued
• TeenQuest Modules focus on:
– Leadership Development
– Accountability
– Time Management
– Conflict Resolution
– Work Ethic
– Financial Literacy
– Resume Writing/Interviewing
– And much more!
Summer Youth Initiative
• Available to all TeenQuest graduates
• Works in partnership with over 30 local employers
• Provides summer work to up to 600 teens
• All wages are subsidized by FGCC
Summer Youth Initiative, Cont.
• The benefits of the Summer Youth Initiative programinclude:
– Students can earn up to $2,500 each summer
– Local nonprofits and businesses can increase capacity atlittle or no cost
– Students gain early work experience, early networking opportunities, and receive mentorship from a responsible adult
– Students can showcase their abilities, which often leads to full-time employment in the future
Summary
• FGCC ’s youth development programs have servedthousands of county residents over the last decade
• The overall goal is to educate youth and revitalize the economy through creating a college and career pipeline, which benefits local business and employers
• Local residents have to come to rely on theseprograms for educational/employment services
• FGCC has a strong desire to improve service delivery across Genesee County
Questions?What questions, thoughts, or reflections do you have based on the presentations you just heard?
*Remember: Questions can be asked using the question function at the lower right-hand corner of your screen.
• ACCE’s new Chamberpedia page on youth character
development feat. best practices
• One Pager– The Business Case for Youth Character
Development
• One Pager- Case study on chamber engagement in
youth character development
• Email Edgar Castillo at [email protected] to join the
EAD, or schedule a consultation with an EAD
consultant.
EAD Character Development Resources
CONTACT USALEXANDRIA OFFICE
Michelle Vegliante | Senior Manager, CommunityAdvancement
Molly Blankenship | Coordinator, CommunityAdvancement
LOS ANGELES OFFICE
Alysia Bell | Director, Education Business Coalition
Analidia Blakely | Senior Manager, EducationAttainment Division
Edgar Castillo | Coordinator, CommunityAdvancement
LEARN MOREwww.acce.org/ead
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