Youth Initiatives Annual Review. <<< Swipe Left to Unlock. Experiencing Careers. Going Beyond the Job. Financially Savvy

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1 Youth Initiatives 2013 Annual Review Exploring College Experiencing Careers Developing Skills Ready to Work Raising the Grade Going Beyond the Job Nurturing Innovation Inspiring Entrepreneurs Financially Savvy <<< Swipe Left to Unlock

2 Out of the Job Box Throughout the 2013 Program Year, Opportunity Inc. Youth Initiatives continued on its journey to revolutionize youth programming by shifting the traditional workforce development focus from workplace readiness to workplace innovation. With a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) as well as entrepreneurialism, this report explores the imaginative efforts made by our year round youth programs and the Youth Career Center to engage youth in immersive activities such as dual enrollment courses, paid paraprofessional internships and hands-on practical experiences. As you turn the pages, please feel free to scan the QR codes to witness our programs in action. Through these programs, Opportunity Inc. has begun crafting a future workforce that isn't only ready for the careers of tomorrow, but also ready for a career today. At a Glance: Over 1,200 people attended the annual Teen Summer Opportunity Fair on March 6, Nearly 18,000 community connections were made. 233 youth gained over 27,000 hours of work experience. Over 100 youth developed business plans. Over 500 youth learned financial literacy skills. 1

3 Y Year Round Programs Program Year 2013 Total Programs Funded 11 Total Youth Served 489 Total Investment $1,815,452 Understanding that each community within Hampton Roads has unique challenges in stimulating economic development and fostering workforce innovation, Opportunity Inc. partners with school systems, post-secondary institutions and community agencies to provide innovative Workforce Investment Act funded career immersion, job preparation and financial literacy programs for youth ages residing in Chesapeake, Franklin, Isle of Wight County, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Southampton County, Suffolk and Virginia Beach. < > 2

4 Y Youth Career Center Program Year 2013 Total Connections Made 17,303 Total Youth Served 12,074 Total Programs Offered Over 100 Total Hours Industry Professionals Donated to Youth Career Center of Hampton Roads Over 2,500 From young entrepreneurs dreaming up their own businesses, to future engineers touring construction sites, to young first responders teaming up with local police, fire and rescue professionals, to Hollywood hopefuls filming their own short film, teens at the Youth Career Center of Hampton Roads (YCCHR) had a busy year. Industry professionals donated over 2,500 hours of their time to guiding the next generation of industry leaders through immersion opportunities in their fields of expertise. Additionally, the YCCHR expanded its programming to serve homeschooled youth in a year long, weekly course through a partnership with the Renaissance School of the Arts in Suffolk. < > 3

5 Ok Opp Inc: Which Career is for Me? Search This year s programs fostered the competitive spirits in our youth which included involvement in business development, the stock market, robotics and ibook challenges where they had the opportunity to try on careers in the most meaningful ways possible. Practical experiences didn t stop there. They also had the opportunity to learn physics and engineering by creating Rube Goldberg machines, learned about developing artificial intelligence, learned to write HTML codes and plan for retirement. Activities were delivered at over two dozen locations in the community ranging from school classrooms to community centers providing experiences for more than 12,500 youth. Scan Here to experience programs offered by the YCCHR since opening in Sept. 2010: It s just amazing how being confident in yourself can help you get what you want, 17-year-old Myles Downing said after attending the 2nd Annual Teen Summer Opportunity Fair. Less than an hour after the event started, he was hired on-the-spot by Jersey Mike s Subs. 4

6 Nurturing Innovation Students in the NSU-STEP Program experienced the world of applied science first hand while engaging in faculty-led research took them to the sand dunes of North Carolina to fight erosion. Students in Virginia Beach participated in the 2 nd Annual ibook entrepreneurship camp. Future film makers launched red carpet dreams while filming a movie at the Youth Career Center this year. Spring 2014 saw a programwide business competition taught by volunteers from Junior Achievement. Students crafted their ideal business plans before facing the judges. A STEM-themed gym and a picture based mobile encyclopedia topped the winner s list. More > 5

7 < Back Going Beyond the Job Job shadowing opportunities took youth behind the scenes in some of the fastest growing industries. Over 25 teens led the rescue efforts during a simulated mass casualty exercise at the Youth Career Center. Opportunity Inc., in partnership with the Peninsula Council for Workforce Development, lead over 45 teachers and guidance counselors on tours of local medical centers while learning about the career opportunities in the healthcare field. Additionally, over a dozen teachers learned how to use Mechatronics software in the classroom. Hands on opportunities produce career ready professionals Practical hands on experiences where youth have the opportunity to undertake a day in the life of diverse careers and connect to current professionals is key to sparking interest and developing a pipeline of highly qualified talent to enter the workforce. This year more than 200 youth engaged in internships and work experiences related to fields of interest, earning almost $200,000. Further, over 80 youth explored laboratories, technological advances and the environment. Over 100 youth developed business plans and over 500 youth learned financial management skills through a multitude of career immersion camps. Firewalls, web hosting, stocks, ibook, 3d replicator and robotics were terms our youth became intimately familiar with during the program year. Travels took them to NASA, Metro Richmond Zoo, the Petersburg National Battlefield, Washington D.C. and much more on their pursuit of knowledge of career options. 6

8 A Taste of College Share This Programs gave youth a taste of college life this year as they bridged the gap between high school and postsecondary education. Students took it to the road visiting campuses such as Tidewater Community College, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, Paul D. Camp Community College, Christopher Newport University, Virginia Union University and Tidewater Tech. Norfolk State University hosted 54 students for a one week residency during the summer coupled with on-campus internships to allow participants to get a true understanding of the preparation needed to be successful college students. Stepping onto a college campus opened participants eyes to a wealth of opportunities. Programs also brought knowledge back to the classroom through dual enrollment courses. More than 40 youth participated in educational enhancement activities in STEM fields, such as nano technology, robotics, chemistry, biology and electrical engineering, where they earned as many as 3 college level credits. The STEM program really gave me a glimpse of college academics through the STEM college classes I was enrolled in, says Myesha Jemison. I thank Opportunity Inc. for this chance to spread my wings. 7

9 Making Cents Over 500 youth in our many programs made cents in more ways than one this year. They solved identity theft crimes on a life-sized game board during our Get a Clue Before Identify Theft Gets You" program in July. While participating in the annual Get Smart About Credit Month in October, our youth took to the web to educate their peers by sharing 31 Tips for 31 Days on Facebook. November saw them competing in the annual Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge. In December, they put their tips to the test cooking on a tight budget for families at the Ronald McDonald House in Norfolk. YouTube provided the venue for airing important tips like asking for a student discount: With help from our volunteers from TowneBank, Wells Fargo, SunTrust and Junior Achievement our youth spent the Spring season developing solid plans of action for managing their money and paying for postsecondary education. 8

10 Our Program Partners Youth Program Name Program Operator Population Served Locality Served Bridge Program Paul D. Camp Community College Out-of-School Ages Franklin, Isle of Wight County, Southampton County, Suffolk Emerging Scholars Program Paul D. Camp Community College Franklin, Isle of Wight, County Southampton County, Suffolk Foundations Transition Program Virginia Beach Adult Learning Center Out-of-School Ages Virignia Beach Pathways to Success Program Southampton County Public Schools Southampton County Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training Program Building Trades Academy Inc. Out-of-School Ages South Hampton Roads Project Gear-Up! Urban League of Hampton Roads Inc. Portsmouth Project Launch Old Dominion University- Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center (VMASC) Portsmouth The Pruden Center s Youth Program Services Pruden Center for Industry and Technology Isle of Wight County, Suffolk Science, Technology, Engineering & Math Program Virginia Beach City Public Schools Virginia Beach Science, Technology, Education Preparation (STEP) Program Norfolk State University Norfolk Spartan Crusade For Academic Success (SCAS) Program Norfolk State University Out-of-School Ages Norfolk Our Financial Supporters 9

11 Dr. David Stuckwisch Superintendent Portsmouth Public Schools Opportunity Inc. Board of Directors Jeffrey Ainslie, President of Finance,Operations and Sales, The Ainslie Group, Youth Council Chair John Andrews, Special Assistant to City Manager, Department of Development, City of Norfolk Elsie Barnes, Professor of Political Science, Norfolk State University John E. Barrett III, CEO, Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center William Bell, Vice President Human Resources & Administration, Newport News Shipbuilding Theresa Bryant, Vice President, Workforce Development, Tidewater Community College Hosey Burgess, Norfolk/Portsmouth Manager, Virginia Employment Commission Thomas Calhoun, President, Norfolk Federation of Teachers John A. Canfield, Principal, Caroga Resources LLC Andy Chapman, Plant Manager, Solenis LLC Paul W. Conco, President, Paul D. Camp Community College James P. Councill, III, Owner, Councill Financial Concepts William W. Crow, President, Virginia Ship Repair Association Cindy Curtis, Deputy City Manager, City of Virginia Beach Richard Dean, Director Human Resources & Training, Smithfield Packing Company Joseph M. Donnelly, President, Donnelly Real Properties LLC Larry Dotolo, President, Virginia Tidewater Consortium for Higher Education Mark Dreyfus, President, ECPI University Sande Dukas, CEO, Controls Corporation of America David K. Edwards, President/COO, W R Systems, Ltd. Stephen Fuschetti, President and CEO, Gannett Media Technologies International Donald Goldberg, President, Goldberg Consulting LLC Darryl W. Gosnell, President and CEO, Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance Ute Heidenreich, Esq., General Counsel, TowneBank, Board Chair Kirk Houston, Sr., Chair, Norfolk School Board Anthony Kearney, Manager Portsmouth & Franklin Offices, Virginia Division of Rehabilitative Services Clarissa McAdoo, Executive Director, Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority Carol McCormack, President and Chief Executive Officer, United Way of South Hampton Roads Mary D. McGovern, Senior Vice President, Divaris Real Estate Inc. Delceno C. Miles, President, The Miles Agency BarBara Murphy, Project Director, AARP Foundation Senior Community Service Employment Program William L. Nusbaum, Partner, Williams Mullen Law Firm, Board Vice Chair Ron Ritter, President, On Point, LLC Jacquelyn Scott, Director Portsmouth Department of Social Services Bryan K. Stephens, President and CEO, Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Edith White, President and CEO, Urban League of Hampton Roads Inc. James Wofford, General Manager, MacArthur Center Steven C. Wright, Director, Chesapeake Economic Development Larry H. Young, President, Eastern Virginia Labor Federation/A.F.L.-C.I.O. 10

12 Youth Council Jeffrey Ainslie, President of Finance, Operations and Sales, The Ainslie Group, Chair Elsie Barnes, Professor of Political Science, Norfolk State University, Vice Chair Sean Beslow, Admissions Counselor, Virginia Job Corps Barbara Brinson, Youth Coordinator, Youth Opportunities Office, City of Virginia Beach Thomas Calhoun, President, Norfolk Federation of Teachers Tammy Carlson, Human Resources Director, Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast David Edwards, President/COO, W R Systems, Ltd. Renee Ricks Felts, Interim Dean, Occupational & Technical Programs, Paul D. Camp Community College Linda Filippi, Executive Director, Tidewater Youth Services Commission Kim Garrett, Vice President/Relationship Manager, Wells Fargo Bank Alice Jones, Director of Student and Alumni Programs, Old Dominion University Pat Konopnicki, Director, Office of Technical & Career Education, Virginia Beach Schools Corey McCray, Director, The Pruden Center for Industry & Technology Mary McGovern, Senior Vice President, Divaris Real Estate, Inc. Martha Razor, Early Childhood Specialist, WHRO Aisha Sabur-Jarvis, FSS Program Coordinator, Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority Janice Walton, Parent Representative Kevin Will, President, Junior Achievement of Greater Hampton Roads Yvette V. Young, Vice President, Urban League of Hampton Roads, Inc. Get Involved Today Are you ready to make a difference? Community members can help us make a difference in the lives of the youth we serve by volunteering as a mentor at one of our many programs or by financially contributing to the Youth Career Center. Youth Career Center of Hampton Roads 4554 Virginia Beach Blvd, Suite 990 Virginia Beach, VA (757) youthcareercenter@oihr.org myyouthcareercenter.org Scan, Click or Call today! The cost of this report was paid 100% with Federal Workforce Investment Act Funds provided under a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, through the Commonwealth of Virginia, to Opportunity Inc. of Hampton Roads. 11