A second crop of Evanston high school students to be mentored as part of a program run by a local non-profit organization was introduced during a recent dinner.
The students will be participating in the Work Ethic Program and become the second group of seven Evanston Township High School junior-year students who will get help discovering well-paying careers that require only a two-year college degree, certificate or apprenticeship, organizers said.
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“Four-year colleges are not the only path to success, especially if a young person seeks a rewarding career that doesn’t involve heavy educational debt,” said the program’s Executive Director Nancy Baker.
The latest group of students was introduced March 22.
Founded in 2016 by Evanston restaurateur Hecky Powell, the WE Program welcomed its first round of students in 2017. Officials said that inaugural group showed a range of interests and career goals.
“Helping these ambitious students is good for everyone; deserving students get a jump start on meaningful careers and Evanston has a better chance of keeping talented professionals in our community,” Powell said.
The WE Program focuses on connecting with different career rather than only pushing students to seek out a four-year degree, which Baker said is not realistic or necessary for every student.
Those who are chosen to participate in the WE Program are paired with a mentor who has experience in their field of interest throughout the program. The selected students also receive a paid summer apprenticeship opportunity to allow each student to gain hands-on experience and gauge their true interest in the career they are intrigued by, according to a news release announcing the new student participants.
One-on-one counseling and financial aid are also provided to enable students to find their ideal education and training following high school, the release states.
Current WE Program students have shown interest in careers relating to nursing, internet technology support, coding, firefighting, culinary arts, manufacturing technology, among other pursuits, according to the release.
“An outgrowth of the Forrest E. Powell Foundation, the WE Program selects students to participate in a full curriculum of career-readiness workshops that introduce and polish professional skills, including leadership, oral and written communication, resume and cover letter writing, dressing for success and interviewing guidance and techniques,” program officials said in the release.
Those enrolled at ETHS who are interested in the program can apply for entry at the start of their junior or senior year, officials said in the release.
The new participating students introduced at the dinner are: Ra’Kell Drape, Sade’ Harden Landrum, Sam Seiler, Justin Hammond, Kobi Evans, Lorenzo Chapman and Cecilia Landrum. Seniors Riley Margura, Minna Cotton, Jazmyne Thompson and Jeremiah Thompson joined the program earlier this year, officials said.
Baker said those involved with the WE Program’s work are excited about the progress the organization has made.
“It means that we are changing an important conversation in Evanston about respecting diverse career options and positive outcomes for more students attending ETHS,” she said.
Baker said in the release it is estimated that fewer than half of all students who seek a college degree in the U.S. are ever able realize that goal. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports that millions of jobs go unfilled, and only 35 percent of newly-created jobs require a four-year college or university degree, she states in the release.
Kyra Senese is a freelancer.