Education Foundation

In concert with the Chamber of Commerce, the Education Foundation leads and supports education that promotes workforce development and enhances the quality of life in the Blackstone Valley. The Foundation provides programs and events for youth and adults that strengthen their professional, personal, and academic development. Support for the Foundation comes from member schools, proceeds from the annual golf tournament, grants, and the generosity of area businesses and community residents.

Member School Districts

• Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical School District, Upton MA
• Blackstone Millville Regional School District, Blackstone MA
• Douglas Public Schools, Douglas MA
• Grafton Public Schools, Grafton MA
• Hopedale Public Schools, Hopedale MA
• Mendon-Upton Regional School District, Upton MA
• Millbury Public Schools, Millbury MA
• Northbridge Public Schools, Northbridge MA
• Sutton Public Schools, Sutton MA
• Uxbridge Public Schools, Uxbridge MA

Private Schools

• Touchstone Community School, Grafton MA

Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy

The Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy is a unique leadership program for 9^th and 10^th grade students in Massachusetts high schools across the Blackstone Valley. The Academy seeks to enhance the leadership skills of young people and strengthen their connection to the Blackstone Valley.

BVYLA NEWS

Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy 2009 Graduation

The BVYLA Class of 2009 received certificates of completion on May 19 at the GB & Lexi Singh Performance Center at Alternatives Whitin Mill in Whitinsville. Family and friends joined members of the board of directors and community partners in congratulating the new graduates.

2008-2009 BVYLA Program

The Class of 2009 marks the fifth group of students to complete this unique leadership program. Over the course of the last five years, 113 students have completed the program, which focuses on leadership development and stewardship. The program begins in late fall and culminates with the May graduation. Over the course of the 6 months, students participate in 12 sessions covering a range of topics and skills areas, including team building, leadership styles, communication skills, community needs assessments, project planning, goal setting, decision making and consensus building. Students also participate in a session devoted to career exploration and engage in a mock town meeting. Each 2009 participant planned and implemented an individual community service project during the spring. Projects addressed a range of needs, including helping to restock local food pantry shelves, cleaning up public recreation areas, organizing bake sales for worthy causes, sponsoring a blood drive, reading to pre-schoolers, collaborating with elementary schools for an Art Show, teaching a computer course for seniors, organizing dinners for seniors and the homeless, and developing an information booklet for newcomers.

Click on the links below for more info:

• Photos
• Click here to see our current brochure

Contact: Mary Lou Anderson mlanderson@blackstonevalley.org or 508.234.9090

Blackstone Valley School-To-Career Partnership

10 Member towns identify a school to career coordinator who participates in monthly Education Foundation meetings. Each month they learn more about career development, opportunity for internships, constructing work and learning agreements, and identifying best practices to guide their students from school to career satisfaction. This activity is funded by Workforce Central of Central Massachusetts with funds from the Commonwealth. The Foundation acts as the School to Career Partnership convener and administrator.

The Education Foundation hosts an annual Regional Career Fair, providing 900 Blackstone Valley high school sophomores an opportunity to talk informally with more than 75 representatives from a wide range of careers and professions. They also attend a panel program where they hear about career pathways and opportunities from professionals in the worlds of business and finance, health care, manufacturing, and STEM (science, engineering, mathematics, and technology). Students prepare for this experience by taking an online career interest survey and engage in follow up discussions and career planning in their schools. Often they pursue job shadows and internships as a results of the experiences they had at the career fair. The Education Foundation provides support to the schools with job shadows for students wishing to observe a work day in a variety of settings. Every year, several hundred students research careers that interest them, select one they would like to know more about, connect with a host employer, and spend a day in that workplace ‘shadowing’ a worker. Internships may follow this further piece of career exploration.

Contact: Mary Lou Anderson mlanderson@blackstonevalley.org or 508.234.9090

Blackstone Valley Internship and Externship Development

Taking advantage of the unique relationship between the Chamber of Commerce and the Education Foundation, the Foundation staff is responsible for developing internship position at local businesses for Member Town students. Participating students learn through paid and unpaid work hours the value of their academic preparation, they refine their career goals, and they define their next steps in career readiness.

Using this same opportunity, externships are developed for Member Town teachers who benefit from spending a few days to a week or more during the summertime working at paid or unpaid positions in area business, industry, non-profits, health facilities, etc. Their experience in these work settings impact the relevance of the curriculum they teach in their respective schools.

Internship and Externship placements (click for more info)

Contact: Mary Lou Anderson mlanderson@blackstonevalley.org or 508.234.9090

Grants to Schools and Teachers

Nearly $22,000 was awarded to 15 successful applicants from among the 11 members of the Blackstone Valley Education Foundation for grants that support the development of 21st century work and learning skills among our students. Many thanks to the businesses and individuals who contribute to the Foundation and who participate in the annual Golf Tournament, and particularly of the Lampin Corporation in Uxbridge for their generosity and consideration for a stronger community of learners.

Each year the Foundation raises funds from business and industry and through the generous donations of residents, friends, and golf tournament participants to support schools and teachers via grants up to $5,000. Teachers and staff are invited to check the website in late January 2010 for information about the 2010-2011 program.

LEADERSHIP BLACKSTONE VALLEY

Leadership Blackstone Valley is an important initiative that is currently on hiatus, refining its reach, resources, and implementations. For more than 5 years Leadership Blackstone Valley cultivated talented individuals who continue to thrive in and enhance this special place in Central Massachusetts.

BLACKSTONE VALLEY EDUCATION FOUNDATION STAFF 508.234.9090

Susan Gately, Executive Director sgately@blackstonevalley.org MaryLou Anderson, Program Coordinator mlanderson@blackstonevalley.org