Date: Fri 08-May-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: MICHEL

Quick Words:

schools-state-grant-enterprise

Full Text:

Schools Win Grant To Spark Local Enterprise

BY MICHELE HOGAN

Newtown High School was one of three schools across the state to receive a

mentorship grant to become a demonstration site for an entrepreneurial model

of education.

Jules Triber, vice principal of Newtown High School, said that "in essence, we

will be designing the model for the state. We will be making a kind of how-to

guide so another school system could do this."

The grant for $150,000 will be put toward school-community programs, such as

the mentorship program, internships and job shadowing. These program are

expected to be available for all high school students over the next two years.

Through these programs, students can learn about and evaluate career options

by working side-by-side with professionals in a field they have selected.

The grant will also support a new entrepreneurial course to be set up within

the school this fall.

Bill Manfredonia, principal of Newtown High School, said that the state office

was impressed with the four entrepreneurial courses already in existence at

the high school.

Students in the new course will learn about business management and the

fast-growing field of computer repair by operating a computer repair center in

the school.

Students would also be developing critical thinking skills in real-life

contexts, which is a skill that the state has found to be in high demand by

institutes of higher learning and employers.

Mr Triber commented that the state-administered CAPT test for sophomores has

made teachers respond with more hands-on learning, group problem solving,

school-to-career type programs, and essentially increased critical thinking of

broadly defined problems.

Students would be troubleshooting computer problems, looking for potential

design improvements, and learning the ins and outs of running a business.

The other entrepreneurial courses offered at the high school are Kurt Ryder's

course in graphic arts and printing; Tom Swetts' and George Bachman's

greenhouse company; Tom Zmuda's culinary arts program; and Mary Thomas's

Nurtury, a pre-school program where high school students learn about child

development while working with children.

Mr Triber said that these are "real school businesses to service the real

needs of the school and community."