Workforce Development Training Program Receives $25K Grant

Wentworth, in partnership with BPS STRIVE Wentworth Training Program, has been awarded a grant of $25,000 from the Neighborhood Jobs Trust.

With the support of this grant, the program will implement new programming focused on growing the student’s computer, financial literacy and social skills. This new initiative further enriches the mission of BPS STRIVE Wentworth Training Program, which is to support workforce development with pre-vocational, vocational, and transitional services to high school students, ages 18-22 with unique physical and learning needs.

The Neighborhood Jobs Trust was established to ensure that all Boston residents benefit from growth and development in the city.

News of the grant comes after many great successes and accomplishments of the program, including creating transformative educational experiences for students, embracing a culture of innovation and creativity, enhancing institutional resources, and engaging, empowering and recruiting a diverse community.

In an effort to utilize Wentworth resources, BPS STRIVE Wentworth Training Program enlisted help from students from the Capstone Program and Principles of Marketing course. The Capstone Project is the culmination of a Business Management student’s entire course of study at Wentworth and the equivalent of their senior thesis.  

Wentworth students from Professor Michael Mozill’s Principles of Marketing course, John Altman, J. Griffin Moran, Dylan Hogan and Ryan Bush-Ritchie, are working to support the program through work in their final project. The project calls for developing cohesive, interactive lesson plans to be used within STRIVE to teach students essential financial literacy and computer skills to support the grant. 

The capstone team consists of Brandon Black, Garrett Dintaman, Paige Taylor and Alexandria Wright. These seniors are working on a multi-pronged marketing campaign that focuses on publicity, enhancing their web presence and expanding their community exposure.

As a way to expand community exposure, Paige Taylor, community outreach coordinator, has planned a virtual 5k fundraiser on July 18 called #StridesForSTRIVE. The fundraiser is raising money for BPS STRIVE Wentworth Training Program's Student Support Fund and supports the purchase of cold weather clothes, work boots and more for students. Details are listed on Facebook. 

BPS STRIVE Wentworth Training Program's mission is to support the Boston Public Schools' commitment to equity and deepening community partnerships with families and students. BPS STRIVE Wentworth Training Program provides inclusive pre-vocational, vocational, and transitional services to high school students, ages 18-22, with unique physical and learning needs, as they transition from high school to adulthood.

Over 35 years ago, BPS STRIVE Wentworth Training Program began as a grant-funded program where special education teachers provided vocational experiences and transitional services to high school students with significant disabilities. As a result of the program's success, BPS STRIVE Wentworth Training Program currently receives district funding. To this day, the BPS STRIVE Wentworth Training Program continues to develop and expand the vocational and transitional opportunities it provides to students.

--Brenda Tañón-Jackson, Paige Taylor & Alexandria Wrigh