Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> work experience. Youth participating in the Ca1GRIP program are provided with the proper tools to succeed in <br /> their careers and encouraged to continue on a successful and productive future. <br /> <br /> The primary staff members who will oversee the project include Ms. Ruth Cossio-Muniz, the Director of the <br /> Corporate Training Institute. She leads most of the WIB projects at Rancho Santiago CCD and continues to <br /> forge additional joint ventures. In this partnership, she will be working with the professional trainers on <br /> customizing curriculum for the high school youth, managing schedules of all instructors for the digital <br /> technology training, preparing presentations, publishing handout materials, coordinating staff to update student <br /> records and transmitting invoices, as well as maintaining communication with all partners involved. (Refer to <br /> attachment L for a list of RSCCD staff that will be assisting with this project.) <br /> III. State the Problem <br /> <br /> A significant number of youth in the community of Santa Ana come from economically disadvantaged families. <br /> Low socio-economic status often leads to a number of barriers impeding student success such as educational <br /> underachievement, higher likelihood of high school dropout, offender, teen parent, and welfare dependency. <br /> Latino students comprise a majority of the student population in the Santa Ana Unified School District. Nearly <br /> seventy-two percent are reported as dropping out. These students leaving school without a diploma will limit <br /> their opportunities for personal and/or professional success by not having the appropriate education or training <br /> for the labor force. It is known that high school dropouts earn less wages, are more likely to commit crimes, and <br /> are considered less healthy both physically and emotionally than students that graduate. Many jobs in the <br /> market require a high school diploma, so that youth who do not graduate contribute to increasing <br /> unemployment rates among youth, juvenile arrests, gang affiliation and births to teens, perpetuating the poverty <br /> cycle. <br /> <br /> For students who do earn a high school diploma, many do not enroll in post-secondary institutions. Instead, they <br /> enter the workforce to assist their families financially. But with limited education, training, and/or experience it <br /> is difficult to find employment with sustainable earnings. As a result many youth become frustrated with their <br /> current situation and resort to substance and/or drug abuse for an escape. <br /> Students who do enroll in post-secondary education are often first generation students and therefore have <br /> difficulties adjusting to the role of college student. Students are often unaware of the resources on campus <br /> available to assist them with the completion of their degree. Therefore many students perform poorly and <br /> eventually drop out of college. <br /> <br /> IV. Barriers <br /> <br /> The "Seeds to Trees" program plans to recruit youth with barriers to employment, educational advancement, <br /> and a successful future. To see the complete list of barriers please see attachment F2. For this reason the <br /> program will devote particular attention to probation/foster youth and youth with disabilities. <br /> <br /> Foster Youth: <br /> The library has developed a successful association with Orangewood Children's Foundation which serves foster <br /> youth in Orange County, and they have agreed to refer foster youth for participation in the program (refer to <br /> Letter of Commitment from Orangewood Children's Foundation). WIA youth interns are currently working on <br /> producing two videos highlighting the Academy, a Orangewood sponsored Charter High School projected to be <br /> opened in August 2013, as well as a video highlighting the Rising Tide Transition Living Program. Further, the <br /> Project Director has been attending meetings of the Foster Youth Breakthrough Collaborative since 2009. Since <br /> EXHIBIT A <br /> <br /> 25E-23 <br />