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Board signs several summer youth and workforce MOUs — internships, clean-energy partnership and Rising Stars program approved
Summary
Trustees approved three MOUs and an internship program: applied-skills summer internships run by Tammy Poe, a Purdue University Northwest clean energy and smart grid MOU, and a Rising Stars college-and-career program. Board discussion emphasized funding sources and program oversight.
The board approved multiple agreements May 29 intended to expand summer and year-round opportunities for high-school students: an applied-skills summer internship program (item 5.02), a memorandum of understanding with Purdue University Northwest to introduce clean-energy and smart-grid topics (item 5.03), and a Rising Stars college- and career-coaching program (item 5.05).
Applied-skills internships: Tammy Poe, who presented the internship plan, described a proposal to give juniors and seniors paid summer internships in district facilities and community partner sites. Poe said internships would teach soft skills, workplace routines and prepare students for employment. Trustees approved the item after questions about employer partners and program structure; Poe said the program would start with district facilities and expand to community employers.
Purdue University Northwest MOU: Administrators described the partnership as an educational MOU to expose students to clean-energy and smart-grid careers and training. A community speaker asked whether teachers working outside their contract would be covered; administrators replied that participating staff would be covered by the program’s insurance arrangements.
Rising Stars program: Trustees approved an agreement with Rising Stars (administered locally by Latino Counts/Northwest Indiana partners) to provide college coaching, employer tours and first-year-college success supports. Staff said the program will recruit students via counselors and advisors and serve two cohorts (freshmen/sophomores and juniors/seniors), with roughly 25 slots in each cohort. The district’s administrators said funding for Rising Stars comes from external sponsors and was described as at no cost to the district or students.
Trustees asked for follow-up details: who at the school will be the point of contact, the precise number of slots and how students will be recruited. Staff said they would return with contact names and implementation plans. The votes on these items were carried by the board.
