Friday, May 19, 2000
Jobs-for-grads concept touted
Julie Eisenhower lends backing
By Phillip Pina
The Cincinnati Enquirer
As Reading High School senior Maria Gallo prepares to head off to college, she credits a student jobs program for giving her direction.
A year ago, she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life after high school. Now, as the last days wind down, she is preparing for college and has dreams of being a teacher. The Jobs for Cincinnati Graduates program helped her discover that.
On Thursday, Julie Nixon Eisenhower visited the Rotary Club of Cincinnati to honor the Cincin nati program and drum up support among business leaders. She is the daughter of former President Richard Nixon and a board member of Jobs for America's Graduates.
“The program represents opportunity,” Ms. Eisenhower said. The students who take part were chosen because their schools decided they needed direction. Thousands of Tristate students take part in the program annually.
The past 18 years, the Cincinnati jobs program has been giving children a brighter future, Executive Director Mark Kenney said. Employment specialists work with students to offer guidance, sup port and encouragement throughout high school and a year past graduation.
The program costs about $1,200 per student annually and is mostly funded by the state of Ohio. The Cincinnati program has about 1,000 participants, while the Southwest Ohio region of Butler, Warren and Clermont counties has about 1,500.
More than 90 percent of those who take part graduate from high school, Ms. Eisenhower said. All it takes is giving these students a little help and respect, she added.
Since Maria joined the program this past year, she has continually made the honor roll at Reading High. Through volunteer efforts, she has recognized an interest in working with children. And she is excited about going to Thomas More College.
A lot of it has to do with Dusty Brown, her jobs program employment specialist. “She's there pushing me,” Maria said.
Whether helping a student find a summer job or serving as a mentor, the employment specialists are there to guide students, said Anthony Ricciardi, managing director of the Jobs For Ohio's Graduates Southwest. It pushes them through school and it prepares them for the future, he added, whether that is college, the military or a job.
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