Mayor Walsh Sings Praises of Wentworth’s STRIVE Youth Program
Boston Public Schools Community Connections Facilitator Brenda Tanon-Jackson (left) and Wentworth President Mark Thompson (center) provide a tour of Wentworth facilities for Boston Mayor Martin Walsh
Boston Mayor Martin Walsh visited Wentworth’s campus Thursday morning to meet with university officials—including President Mark A. Thompson—and students taking part in the Supported Training to Reach Independence through Vocational Experiences (STRIVE) program.
Calling it a model example for the rest of the city, Walsh took a personal look at a program that has helped Boston’s youth develop transferable skills for future careers.
Since 1988, Wentworth’s Physical Plant Department has offered Boston Public Schools (BPS) students with unique learning needs a paid internship that starts with work in the area of recycling. Mayor Walsh met with students in the recycling center of Wentworth’s Annex Building, where he received a tour from BPS Community Connections Facilitator Brenda Tanon-Jackson and other STRIVE employees.
The group then moved to 610 Huntington Avenue, where Walsh met with other students and Wentworth employees while hearing more about STRIVE’s Wentworth facilities program, which includes operating various machines, working with green cleaning chemicals, and learning to work independently.
Photos from the visit can be viewed below or on our Flickr page.