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The District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) has awarded $220,000 in grant funding to seven Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and organizations in the first College, Credential and Career (C3) Ready Summer Initiative for middle school students. The grant initiative will serve 670 rising sixth through eighth graders in summer 2015. The programs, which vary in length, will give students the opportunity to gain in-person exposure to high-growth, high-wage career fields in DC and explore future secondary and postsecondary options.
The C3 Ready Summer Initiative builds upon citywide Career and Technical Education (CTE) goals of establishing strong pathways towards high-wage, high-growth, and high-demand career fields in the District of Columbia. Grantees in 2015 will expose students to careers in Information Technology, Business and Marketing, Hospitality, Architecture, Engineering, and visiting the campuses of Catholic University of America and Howard University, among others. Students will also learn about college and career prep high school programs and develop skills for the high school transition.
“We know that successful preparation for college and careers starts early,” said Dr. Antoinette Mitchell, Assistant Superintendent of Postsecondary and Career Education at OSSE. “The C3 Ready Summer Initiative will engage more District middle school students in educational summer programming that also allows them to connect their personal strengths to college options and career pathways.”
The 2015 C3 Ready Summer Initiative grant recipients include: City Gate, Inc., Higher Achievement, Kid Power, Multicultural Career Internship Program, Friendship Public Charter Schools, Paul Public Charter School, and District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). The summer programs will start in June.
For more information about the College, Credential and Career Ready Summer Initiative, please contact Melissa McKnight, Director of College and Career Readiness, at [email protected] or visit www.osse.dc.gov.
About the Office of the State Superintendent of Education
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is the State Education Agency for the District of Columbia charged with raising the quality of education for all DC residents. OSSE serves as the District’s liaison to the US Department of Education and works closely with the District’s traditional and public charter schools. For more information about OSSE, visit our website: osse.dc.gov.