Young Entrepreneurship Program Expands to Emphasize Women
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Pathways young women students with their instructors, who are experienced business owners and operators: Kevin Logan (in back),
Mali Phonpadith (second from left) and Victoria Samuels,
Vice President/Community Relations, Educational Systems
Federal Credit Union (right) |
For several years, the Young Entrepreneurship Program (YEP) has worked with Pathways students to educate them on steps necessary to start and succeed in business. The comprehensive, hands-on program is taught by experienced business owners using a curriculum designed by the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). The program is open to interested students from all Pathways schools, and includes on-site visits to area businesses as well as workshops and guidance as the students practice opening their own pilot businesses.
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Listening to the instructor for pointers on beginning a business |
This semester a section of the YEP will focus on issues unique to women in the business sector. Five young women students from three Pathways sites are participating in the workshops, which are taught by successful women entrepreneurs. The opportunity to talk with and learn from experienced business professionals and to see how organizations carry on day-to-day is both valuable and effective for Pathways students, who are helped by concrete examples. Recently the young women and men in Pathways' YEP visited the Educational Systems Federal Credit Union head office in Greenbelt for a close up look at a financial business.
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Pathways Initiates a Drug Intervention Group
As a school community, Pathways has always understood that a quality education means addressing all aspects of each student's life; for example, teaching job skills as well as reading, and health as well as science. Only by meeting the needs of the "whole" child can we help them to overcome obstacles and achieve their academic and life goals. This is why for decades Pathways has promoted a healthy lifestyle for our students and built a safe and drug free environment. An annual all-student rally kicked off a week of education on the dangers of substance abuse and the benefits of positive alternatives. Our Student Assistance Program helped many students by running small groups on topics of lifestyle, nutrition, and exercise as well as reaching out to individual students when called upon. It is worth noting that Pathways was the first nonpublic special education school to participate in Montgomery County Public Schools Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Project and to have staff trained in the project's school-based intervention program. Last year, a Pathways-wide Drug Intervention Group opened a new chapter in that comprehensive history of addressing lifestyle and substance abuse concerns. While Pathways students across the board have an opportunity to gain skills in areas such as conflict resolution, drug prevention strategies, or problem-solving, some may want or seek extra support specifically with problems related to alcohol or drug use. These students may be referred to the Drug Intervention Group. The group is open to students from every Pathways program and participation is entirely voluntary. The group is led by Barbara Stortz, a licensed clinical social worker with 14 years' experience at Pathways. Ms. Stortz has received additional training and experience in the area of drug treatment. Topics covered include understanding the addiction process and different drugs, health effects of alcohol and drug use, family impact, relapse and coping skills for prevention, and an overview of twelve-step programs and other treatment options. The group meets weekly throughout the second semester.
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