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Community Action Partnership Meeting on July 9, 2024

A collaborative new name for the Nonprofit Vitality Council was unveiled at the July 9 meeting, and going forward, the Community Action Partnership will strive to broaden its mission to bring in a collaboration of businesses along with nonprofits to create effective relationships. The goal to be all-inclusive and build relationships between businesses and the nonprofit community is truly a win-win. Companies of any size can provide assistance through a volunteer force for a nonprofit. In turn, the vulnerable populations that our nonprofits serve can be lifted to become more connected to opportunities to learn skills, and enter the workforce to serve our business community.

This collaborative spirit was reflected in the two speakers at the July 9 meeting.

Graduation Plus

Marlo Loria, Director of Career and Technical Education and Innovative Partnerships at Mesa Public Schools spoke to the members about Graduation Plus, which in its third year, has already seen an increase in student engagement of 250%. The program answers the challenge of how to change traditional education in Mesa Public Schools, where students and the workforce were becoming disconnected as students graduated from high school. 

Graduation Plus begins as early as elementary school, where students learn about what a job is, and how they can learn more about it as they move toward middle and high school. Students not only graduate with a diploma, but will have earned college credit, learn on-the- job skills, and gain certifications that allow them to step into the workforce after graduation, more focused and prepared to gain economic independence.

Career coaches at the schools help students to find job shadow experiences, attend career fairs as freshmen, and internships, some of which are paid. 

She stressed the importance of engaging the business community to connect with students by presenting on their business, which ultimately serves them to build their workforce. Business Community Councils assist businesses that are interested in participating by connecting them with schools that have a focused curriculum that matches their expertise. For example, Boeing, which is within the aerospace industry, partners with Westwood High School and their feeder schools to provide instruction in their STEAM program. 

Upon graduation, students then have a clearer, meaningful relationship with these businesses and can choose a career path that aligns with their chosen area of interest. Skilled trades as well as degree-based careers are therefore more accessible because the relationship was started before they graduated from high school.

Marlo Loria said the response has been overwhelming, and encourages more small to medium size businesses in Mesa to participate in order to expand the program to meet the ever-growing interest of the students.

Service Learning

Dawn Rhodes, a Service-Learning Coordinator at Mesa Community College also spoke about opportunities to create a student volunteer corps while also providing these students with an opportunity to build relationships, serve and gain experiences related to their career path that may not at first be obvious. 

Service-Learning is a connection between community service and academic course credit. Through the program students can 

  • develop critical thinking and problem solving skills
  • clarify personal values and dedication to a degree program
  • Explore career options
  • Develop socially and personally
  • Create connections to community and civic partners
  • Earn college credit for coursework that includes a service component

In one partnership with AZ Strut, which refurbishes computers for resale and provides skills training for its workforce, sociology students who volunteer gain valuable experience in seeing their business model and how it can shape a community in a positive way. This “learn by doing” model at MCC allows students to see the impact of serving others while receiving an opportunity to connect with people and businesses that can lead to a career in their field.

Summary provided by:  Denise Konkol

Denise Konkol is a Chamber member, assisting clients as a writer, and a financial literacy coach with Ramsey Solutions.