Mission/Goals

To maximize every student's academic achievement by providing opportunities beyond the classroom that help to make successful connections between school and careers. The goals of the Career Immersion program are to (a) develop responsible and productive citizens for the 21st century, (b) assist students to realize that what they are learning in school today will affect their future tomorrow, (c) support the community in assuming some responsibility for the education of it's future work force and leaders, and (d) provide students with unique and enjoyable school experiences such as field trips, guest speakers, and active learning experiences.

Organization/Program Context

The Career Immersion program began in 1989-90 when the staff at Silver Spring School identified the lack of career awareness training and activities in the existing school curriculum. The program has expanded to include collaboration with two area high schools where students participate in an on- the-job training program. It offers students a myriad of role models and a great sense of work and work-related activities. This program is being cited as a model for the entire Milwaukee Public School system to follow.

Community Setting

Major city in Wisconsin with a population of over 660,000. There are many colleges and universities in Milwaukee, including the University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee) and Marquette University.

Population Served

Silver Spring Elementary School serves 380 students between the ages of 3 and 13. Of all the students, 75% are persons without disabilities, 15% are students identified with specific learning disabilities, and 10% have a speech and/or language impairment.

Model/Practice/Strategy Description

The Career Immersion program introduces the world of work to students at an early age, helping to create a clear link between school and work. The program's primary activities involve hands-on, school-based learning. All of the students enrolled at Silver Spring Elementary School participate in the Career Immersion program. Students participate in two program components, classroom business and in-school employment, and are guided by business and community partners.

 

Classroom businesses serve as the entrepreneurial focal point to improve student learning, promote self-esteem, increase vocabulary, and offer business like opportunities. Each classroom is an independently operated business. Examples include a school supply business, a popcorn and candy business, and a recycling firm. One business sponsors school dances in which students learn about management skills, marketing, advertising, salesmanship, profits and losses, and making decisions about how the profits are used. Through this experience, students develop a greater awareness about the connection between education and work, while learning beyond the regular curriculum.

 

In-school employment provides great learning opportunities by encouraging responsibility and the development of a quality work ethic. Every student is encouraged to apply for non-paid, in-school jobs, such as, Art Helper, Cadet, Peer Mediator, and Reporter. Interested applicants fill out an application form and interview for the position. The experience is made as realistic as possible, with the exception that every student applicant is placed. In order to keep the position, the student is expected to meet on-the-job performance standards. Plans are being developed to "pay" students with Silver Spring Money, the value of which will be determined by its in-school purchasing power.

 

Business and community partners of Silver Spring Elementary School share similar goals and want to participate in school-to-work activities. These partners serve as liaisons in each of the classrooms sharing their business expertise and assisting teachers as mentors, teachers, and business advisors. The partners volunteer in the school's tutoring program, participate in Career Week and other career speaker days, provide resources for field trips and in-services, and serve as the sites for field trips. The partnerships are maintained through regular monthly meetings, whereby both school and business problems and solutions are discussed.

Exemplary School-to-Work Components

Classroom Business - School-based Learning

Each grade functions as an independently operated business. Students are responsible for operating these businesses with their teachers acting as the Chief Executive Officer.

 

In-School Employment - School-based Learning

Every student has an opportunity to apply for a nonpaying employment experience. Students complete an application, participate in an interview process, and are offered a contract if they are accepted for the position. The contract is signed by the employer.

What Makes it Work?

• All students enrolled in the elementary school participate in Career Immersion.
• The program is endorsed by the School Based Management Council, and supported by the local administrator as meeting the school district's goals.
• It was initiated by staff to teach students about career awareness.
• The program is useful at any grade level and financially affordable.
• The high expectations of staff and students produces high quality results.
• The program provides a risk-taking environment for students and enables staff to use their creative skills.
• Attention is afforded to life issues and skill requirements to be successful in a technology based society.
• The program has a unique approach to addressing school-to-work issues for elementary students.
• The program uses multiple teaching and learning strategies with career discovery as its theme.

Staff

Principal

1 full-time

• Oversees the project
• Acts as a liaison to businesses and community partners
• Evaluates the success of the program

Classroom Teacher

22 full-time

7 part-time

• Instructs, monitors, and works with the business community and school teams
• Serves as CEO for the classroom business

Implementor

1 full-time

• Coordinates day-to-day activities of the project
• Serves as a resource to the CEOs
• Acts as a liaison between CEOs (teachers) and business and community partners
• Identifies and coordinates different business and community resources like speakers, tutors, and mentors

Parent Coordinator

1 full-time

• Provides education to parents
• Provides training to business and community partners

Business/Community Partner

10 part-time

• Serves as mentor, resource, tutor, and site provider for field trips
• Provides business strategies and management skills to the CEOs

John's Story

John came to Silver Spring Elementary School in October of 1993. He has a severe speech impediment and learning disability, which at times resulted in behavior issues. John was in the classroom that operated the Silver Spring Sodas business and quickly became involved. By 1995, his second year in the business, John had become an officer of Silver Spring Sodas. This meant that he had the responsibility of ordering the sodas, stocking the machines, and counting the money. Because of his success in the classroom business, John was given an opportunity to introduce the business to the entire student body at the school. During John's third year at Silver Spring, he began assisting the early childhood teacher, in addition to his duties as an officer in the soda business. His duties included supervising children while they were eating lunch, helping children for bus dismissal, and walking them to their respective buses. He loved the job and was very successful at it. He accepted the responsibility of the job and kept the conditions of his contract. In June of 1996, John was honored as the student who had made the most improvement in the graduating class at Silver Spring Elementary School.

Because of his success in the classroom business, John was given an opportunity to introduce the business to the entire student body at the school.

This profile was generated by the School-to-Work Outreach Project at the Institute on Community Integration (UAP), University of Minnesota. The development and dissemination of these profiles was supported in part by grant #H029B30142 from the U.S. Department of Education.

For further information, contact the School-to-Work Outreach Project, Institute on Community Integration (UAP), University of Minnesota, 110B Pattee Hall, 150 Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455.

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