High School Students Prepare for the Future

Recently, Youth Grant Makers grant awarded $2,500 to Washington High School WHS. This money will allow the “Game of Life” to be brought to WHS for the first time. The program was not possible in the past due to a lack of funding. The program is a month-long project which will run through the English class for the 9-10th graders at WHS. Guidence Technician at WHS, Nina Torres, shared, "Our mission is to provide each student with the tools, skills and understanding of what it takes to become self-sufficient, self-fulfilled, responsible and productive members of society." She went on to say, "The purpose of the program is to increase student career-knowledge and to help students learn how to be deliberate in planning their future in high school and beyond, based on real life experiences." Torres explained that “Game of Life,” presented by Career Vision, is an interactive simulation of the real experiences of life. These experiences include budgeting, learning to be deliberate in planning your future, and choosing your career. The founder of Career Vision is Jamie Beck and she will hold 4 workshops for this specific project. While the main goal is to empower our at-risk youth population in gaining the necessary skills to be successful in both high school and beyond, the secondary goal is to create an opportunity for our youth to empower their peers. Through this project, high school students will mentor our middle school students and peer-teach by presenting what was learned during the workshop. Together in partnership with Career Vision, WHS will create a real-life learning experience which will help students establish their desired lifestyle, personal budget, and discovering which career would best compliment this process of self discovery. Through this process, students will discover what it takes to be self-sufficient and independent. This opportunity is made possible in part by a grant from the West End Youth Grant Makers Committee and Reach Out.