Posts by bb4b_Pam

For too many American students, high school is a time of disengagement that fails to put them on a path to success later on in life. In fact, a 2012 Gallup Student Poll indicated that student engagement during high school is at a critically low level. The survey, which asks students how involved and enthusiastic they feel about school, reported that while nearly 80% of elementary school students feel engaged, only 44% of high school students feel that way. So, how can we keep students engaged throughout high school? The answer is a curriculum that connects the classroom to careers.  STEM Curriculum Many high school graduates lack exposure to learning that links their work in school to college and careers—especially in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). When students understand that rewarding careers exist beyond the classroom, they are more likely to feel motivated to engage in their studies. Using a variety of activity-based learning models, schools can provide students with opportunities to develop their critical thinking skills and creativity. An integrated STEM curriculum provides equity among students from all backgrounds, empowering them to find their passion and look beyond high school and into the future. Career and Technical Education Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses help develop students’ noncognitive skills such as problem-solving, communication, time management, and critical thinking skills. By providing students with CTE courses, schools help prevent dropouts because the curriculum offers practical applications of knowledge through authentic tasks that allow students to see the relevancy of their instruction. Because the lessons are more practical and hands-on, students feel more engaged. Ultimately, CTE curriculum connects the knowledge that students are gaining in the classroom to the future by helping them understand how that knowledge helps them obtain a career they’ll find interesting and rewarding. Preparing students for success later on in life requires a different approach to the educational experience than it did in the past. Too many of America’s students are not meaningfully engaged or motivated in their academic experience while in high school. By providing kids with opportunities to connect what they’re learning in the classroom to the future, schools can inspire students to take control of their education and find success as adults. Programs like U can B are working to re-engage students in the classroom by providing classes that give students a chance to see what life is like after high school and college. The U can B Curriculum is tailored to meet any school’s needs, and includes classes on topics such as entrepreneurship, careers in the trades, careers in IT, careers in healthcare, career preparation, leadership, and more. Contact us at Info@BuildingBridgesforBusiness.org or click here to learn more about the U can B...

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uzHquLxHFA The Coffee With Show was given the incredible opportunity of speaking with City Councilman Dan Gilman. Dan Gilman is currently serving his first term as a Pittsburgh City Council member and has great pride in representing Pittsburgh’s 8th Council District. Gilman was first elected to Council in 2013. Prior to serving as a Council Member, he worked for a decade as the Chief of Staff to then-City Councilman and now Pittsburgh’s Mayor Bill Peduto. Councilman Gilman is a champion for growth, development, innovation and education in Pittsburgh and offers a wealth of exciting news to share with us on the show. As a Councilman, Gilman is consistently regarded as the voice of younger Pittsburghers who are redefining the City as a place of burgeoning growth and endless potential. Gilman and is continually recognized for his tireless advocacy on behalf of Pittsburgh’s technology boom – his activism has helped to bolster business development and innovation in Pittsburgh. Councilman Gilman is perhaps the single most active and effective proponent of Pittsburgh as a nationwide hub for entrepreneurship and business growth. Gilman is proactive in passing legislation that best benefits the City and its residents. In his time as a Council member, he has passed many pieces of critical legislation. His work has resulted in prohibiting perpetrators of illegal hillside dumping from bidding on or participating in city contracts, in providing real workplace solutions for pregnant city works experiencing pregnancy discrimination, and in developing non-discrimination policies in Pittsburgh’s Authorities. Beyond his legislative work, Councilman Gilman is a champion for education. He has been organizing a diverse group of advocates who are working to fight hunger throughout city schools by operationalizing a citywide backpack feeding program. He has also been convening quarterly meetings of all the school principals in his district to discuss issues of importance to both the City and its schools, and to forge working relationships across schools and neighborhoods. Learn more about why Gilman is so excited to be involved in Pittsburgh by watching the Coffee With episode...

http://https://buildingbridgesforbusiness.org/coffee-with/ The Coffee With Show is proud to have Dan Rice, CEO of Rice Energy, join us to tell us about his experiences with the energy industry. Dan Rice has served as the CEO of Rice energy since 2013, previously working with Transocean Inc. and Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co, LLC. Mr. Rice’s many years in the energy business gives him a unique perspective and understanding of why energy is one of the most exciting fields to be involved in. Mr. Rice has served in a number of positions at Rice Energy, starting out as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in October 2008. In 2013, he served as the Chief Operating Officer, and has been the Chief Executive Officer since October of 2013. Along with his responsibilities as CEO, Mr. Rice currently serves as a member of the health, environmental, and safety committees. Rice Energy is proud to be historically a family-owned and operated business. Rice Energy aims to lead the nation to energy independence while protecting the environment, provide the safest workplace for their employees and partners, and generate the best-in-class returns to their stakeholders. In doing so, Rice energy will illuminate the power of positive energy. In regions in Pennsylvania and Ohio, Rice Energy has been actively involved in the Marcellus and Utica Shale since 2010, and is a top 20 producer in Pennsylvania. Rice Energy operates with environmental awareness and sustainability as a cornerstone of their business philosophy, and never passes up a chance to give back to the communities in which they are involved. They are committed to partnering with organizations in their operating footprint that align with their giving initiatives of public safety, youth education and leadership, and community enrichment. From their annual festival and fundraiser “Marcellus Mania” to their volunteering organization The Blue Crew, Rice Energy is proactive in supporting communities. Before his involvement with Rice Energy, Mr. Rice served as an investment banker for Tudor Pickering Holt & Co., LLC, an integrated energy investment bank in Houston. Prior to his involvement at Tudor Pickering Holt, Mr. Rice was a senior analyst of corporate planning for Transocean Inc. where he was responsible for mergers, acquisitions, and business development. Mr. Rice has a BS in Finance from Bryant University. For Mr. Rice, the most exciting part of being involved with Rice Energy has been the development of natural gas, specifically the progress that the US energy industry has made from being a net importer of natural gas to the point of...

A new report from ACT has found that 20 percent of students who are likely well-prepared for their first year of college are not actually enrolling. Additionally, results from a multi-year College and Career Readiness survey of 165,000 high school students conducted by YouthTruth, a San Francisco-based nonprofit, found that only 45 percent of students feel positive about their college and career readiness. What’s The Problem? According to the same YouthTruth survey, an overwhelming 87 percent of students want to eventually earn a college degree and land a career, but many believe that their schools aren’t helping them develop the skills they’ll need to succeed after graduation. To make matters worse, as a result of being unprepared, approximately one in four students who enter college the fall after high school graduation enroll in remedial coursework during their first year of college. The aggregate additional, direct college expenses these half million students and families had to pay out of pocket for remedial coursework in the first year in 2011-12 was an astounding $1.5 billion. The problem is deeply rooted in the curriculum at many schools across the United States. Graduation is treated as the ultimate goal, which ignores preparing students to reach their future goals. In support of this idea, many schools aren’t encouraging students to challenge themselves and are not helping students find their passion. Instead, schools opt for a random combination of career-prep courses — which ranges from computers and engineering to trade courses in fields such as construction or manufacturing — rather than a series of courses aligned with a particular career field. What Can Be Done? All of these reports support the idea that schools need to reflect on their school’s structure, culture, and instruction, and how those elements influence exposure to rigorous, engaging, and relevant coursework that prepares students for success after high school in various college and career paths. This is especially important as young people need more skills than ever before in order to succeed in today’s knowledge-based economy. Graduating more confident high-school graduates is not an unattainable goal. Research shows that students support this change. In fact, nearly nine out 10 of all recent high school graduates said they would have worked harder if their high schools had demanded more, set higher academic standards, and raised expectations of the coursework and studying necessary to earn a diploma. Programs like U can B are helping schools make this a reality. By providing students with the skills they need to succeed after high school and empowering them to pursue a career that they feel passionate about, U can B is working to close the gaps between college-readiness, college enrollment, and career success. Ultimately, schools that place their students’ futures at the top of their priority list instead of graduation rates are investing in the world’s...

According to the U.S. Department of Education, children can experience a learning loss equivalent to two months of math and reading skills during the summer months. More than half of the achievement gap between lower and higher income youth can possibly be explained by an unequal access of the children to summer learning opportunities. The temptations are great for children to spend hours watching television or playing video games. However, just because it is summer vacation doesn’t mean students’ brains need to take a vacation. “You don’t want your kids to think that learning is only something that happens in places called schools,” says Susan K. Perry, author of Playing Smart: The Family Guide to Enriching Offbeat Learning Activities for Ages 4-14. With some planning, the summer can be the best time for learning and building new skills. Here are a few ways to make the most out of the summer. 1. Webinars Geographic distances between learning institutions and students can often create a barrier for learning during the summer. With webinars, students get access to virtual classes from anywhere. Another great thing about webinars is that you can find ones on just about any topic. This means that students can learn more about the things that interest them, which makes learning during the summer feel like less of a chore. For students that are starting to look beyond high school, summer is also the perfect time to begin career development. This July, U can B is offering a number of work-related webinars that cover the following topics: Networking Using Social Media for Job Searching Using Linkedin for Job Hunting How to Create a Professional Online Brand 2. Reading Programs Reading is a great way to keep students’ minds active during the summer months. This doesn’t mean you have to spend a ton of money on books. Instead, find out if your public library is part of the Collaborative Summer Library Program. Public libraries in participating states purchase posters, reading logs, bookmarks, certificates and a variety of reading incentives that help engage kids and get them excited about reading. 3. Start a Garden A fun way to foster students’ education and personal development during the summer is through gardening. Not only does gardening help create generations of kids connected to their food, community, and planet, but it also develops valuable skills such as planning, math, and science. Check out the Kids Gardening website for lots of great ideas and resources on how to get started. There are plenty of ways to ensure students’ minds don’t go into hibernation this summer. Learning does not have to be a seasonal event; with the right methods, students can be excited about learning year round! Plan ahead and take advantage of technology as well as free programs that make learning...