How Do We Bridge High School Graduation and a Successful Career for our Young Adults?

Meet Jacob

Jacob is 17 and will soon be graduating from Monrovia High School. His favorite classes are science and agriculture. Jacob is one of the many students in Morgan County who would be the first to attend college if he so chooses. He is one of the 76% of youth in Morgan County who says continuing education is too expensive to afford and has felt his easiest next step is to follow in his uncle’s footsteps as a welder. He’s also debating a career in environmental science as an agricultural scientist but feels that it’s too expensive and an uncharted career path. Like the 68% of parents who raise children in Morgan County, Jacob’s family has told him that securing a paying job should be his first priority post-graduation and is how he can measure success into adulthood. Like Jacob, 81% of our Morgan County high school youth have reported not participating in any form of career counseling or preparation.

CFMC, through the partnership of our Morgan County schools’ leaders, Lilly Endowment and Regional Opportunity Initiatives, Inc. (ROI), has implemented a workforce development program called Ready Schools. This program brings together school leadership and workforce development stakeholders to form a strategic plan and create a pathway to post-high school career paths for every student in the Monroe-Gregg school district. This initiative aligns k-12 curricular and programmatic offerings to the educational and workforce needs in Morgan County and the region. These strong partnerships between schools, students, parents, and the community will ensure that students like Jacob feel empowered and confident to choose their next career or education plans after high school graduation. Thanks to your donations, together, we break cycles of poverty and encourage graduating students to choose their best path to success in their future education and career endeavors.

Jacob is a fictional character representing the youth of Morgan County based on real conversations.

Data provided by The Community Foundation of Morgan County’s 2019 Youth Community Survey.  https://cfmconline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CFMC-Youth-Survey-Findings.pdf