In step with our mission to provide youth in northeast Indiana with the tools, support, and education necessary for success, the PACE (Preparing for Adulthood and Community Engagement) program for junior and senior students debuts this year.
The curriculum will teach independent living skills such as financial literacy, nutrition and wellness, mechanical aptitude, and home economics. High School juniors and seniors are paired with companies for internships and part-time employment and introduced to resources in the community that can be used for lifelong support including the public library, the YMCA, and other local services. Site visits to two local businesses,
Sweetwater Sound and DeBrand Fine Chocolates,
launched the program. A partnership with
Columbia City Plastics
has employed two of the PACE students, and others will participate in service projects at the Whitley County Fairgrounds as part of the
United Way Day of Caring.
Employers wanting to know more about participating in the program, email program director Elizabeth Baxter at eabaxter8@gmail.com