AchieveTexasinAction
GrahamEducationandWorkforceCenter
AffiliatedwiththeGrahamIndependent
SchoolDistrict
www.grahamewc.org
“Ourdailychallengeistomeettheneedsofourcommunity
andthesurroundingareas,”saysCherylGroves.“Werealize
ProgramofStudyModels
theneedforourcitizenstoreceiveextendedlearning
ThestatehasdevelopedProgramofStudy
opportunitiesinalocationconvenienttotheirhomes.Andwe
alwayswelcomeinputandideasthatwillcontinueourvision.”
Modelstohelpstudents,parents,and
GrovesisdescribingtheGrahamEducationand
educatorsintheplanningprocess.These
WorkforceCenter,whichshedirects.Thecenterwascreated
showstudentsrecommendedcoursesfora
tofulfillthevisionoftheGrahamHigherEducationBoardand
particularprogramofstudy,whatprogram
tomeettheneedsoftheTexasHigherEducation
ofstudyisappropriateduring
CoordinatingBoard’sClosingtheGapsinitiative. “Wearesimply
postsecondaryeducation,and AccordingtoClosingtheGaps,only5percentofthe
recommendedextendedlearningand Texaspopulationhaseverenrolledinhighereducation.The
tryingtofulfillthe
extracurricularopportunities.These
nationalaveragein2000wasabout5.4percent.The0.4
promisewemade
programofstudymodelsareavailableat
percentdifferencerepresents76,000studentsinTexas.
www.achievetexas.org.
ClosingtheGapshasagoalforanoverallpostsecondary whenweopened
participationincreaseto5.5percentby2010and5.7
thatwewillalways
CareerPortfolios
percentby2015.
AnotherkeyconceptofAchieveTexasisthe
TheEducationandWorkforceCentersupportsthat
beheretoprovide
effortbyprovidingawayformembersoftheGraham
CareerPortfolio.Atitssimplest,thisisa
communitytotakeadvantageoflifelonglearning
lifelongeducation
folderofstudentworkthatshowsa
opportunitiesfromcollegesanduniversitieswithouthaving
prospectivepostsecondaryinstitutionor
totraveltoalargercity,suchasDallas,whichismorethan
tothepeopleofthe
employerwhatheorshehasaccomplished.
100milesaway.
Itcanconsistofwritingsamples,artwork,or
“Wehostcollegeclasses,continuingeducationclasses,
CityofGraham.”
anythingthatshowcasesthestudent’s andtrainingseminarsfortheGrahamIndependentSchool
—C herylGroves,Director,
abilities.Intoday’sworld,portfoliosmaybe Districtandlocalbusinesses,”saysGroves.“Wehave GrahamEducationand
entirelyelectronicandstudentscankeep
severalpartnersincludingtheregionalTexasWorkforce
WorkforceCenter
themonCD-ROMorflashmemorydrive.
Commission,GrahamIndependentSchoolDistrict,Texas
Thevalueofstudentplanningisobvious
StateTechnicalCollege,VernonCollege,MidwesternStateUniversity,andWeatherfordCollege.Our
whencomparedtothealternativethatexists
desireistoacquiremorepartnerstobetterserveourcommunity.”
insomanyhighschoolsandcolleges—
TheneedforlocallearningopportunitieswasrecognizedbymembersoftheGrahamHigher
studentswhoareindangerofdroppingout
EducationBoard,whichisappointedbythecitygovernment.Themembershipincludesallelements
ofthecommunity,includingthePresidentoftheGrahamIndustrialAssociation,theSuperintendent
becausetheydonotseeaconnection
ofGrahamschools,theGrahamHighSchoolPrincipal,theadministratoroftheGrahamRegional
betweentheireducationalexperiencesand
MedicalCenter,andGrahamcitizens.TheBoardisjustoneexampleofhowtheCenterstrivesto
whattheywanttodowiththeirlives.Agood
bringtogethereducation,localbusiness,andcommunitymembers.
planisthegluethatlinkstodayand
TheCenterislocatedatwhatusedtobetheShawneeElementarySchool.IthousesWorkforce
tomorrow,showingstudentshowtheir
Resource,thelocalofficeoftheTexasWorkforceCommission,whichprovidesresourcesforjob
currentstudiesarepreparingthemtobe seekersandemployers.Alsooncampusaredistancelearningclassrooms,computerlabs,and
successfulintheirchosenfields.Providinga administrativeoffices.TheCenterrecentlyacquiredanoldlibraryonadjacentpropertyandplansto
planningtoolforstudentsisanimportant
usethebuildingasanAlliedHealthFacilityforAlliedHealthprogramsincludinganAssociate’s
elementofensuringthatstudentsstarton
DegreeofNursing.
theirroutetosuccess.
AnyonemayusetheCentertoseekanassociate’sdegree,takecourseswithacareerfocus,
takeclassesleadingtoanindustrycertification,orearncreditstowardacollegedegree.Partnering
collegesanduniversitiesalsoprovidedualcreditandconcurrentenrollmentcoursestoqualified
areahighschoolstudentsviadistancelearningortraditionalin-persondeliveryifstudentswishto
travel.
“TheCenterreallyreachesouttothepeopleinourcommunity,”Grovessays.“Thereareso
manyopportunitiestotakeadvantageof,itdoesn’tmakealotofsensenotto.”
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