“The kids that no principal wanted because they weren’t going to get diplomas got lost and they came here,” says executive director Evelyn Fernandez-Ketcham. “We acted as an information and referral center. The adults did not know English so there were few referrals. All we could do was help them with unemployment insurance.”
Much more is going on now – preparation for the GED in the mornings in partnership with the City’s Department of Education, and in the afternoons its Worker Advancement Through Technology program for work readiness. New Heights, with a staff of six, has a $700,000 budget, half of which comes from in-kind services.
Youngsters between the ages of 17 and 21 who drop out of school are those whom the DOE refers to as the over-aged and under-credited. They are entitled by law to an education. However, students at New Heights tend to arrive with no more than Sixth Grade Literacy and Fourth Grade math skills. Earning a GED, which requires passing a five-subject test, can take two years. Though many drop out, attendance in GED classes at New Heights is about 85 percent, thanks to a rigorous orientation process that weeds out students who lack motivation. Those who complete the course work still need guidance in negotiating the GED application that itself is a test of knowledge and patience. In the early days of the program, students would finish class in June and wait until September to take the test. Fernandez-Ketcham says, “One of my staff now drops off the GED applications and picks up appointment dates at the same time, usually for the following Monday.”
Employment and training services involve developing a resume, building self-esteem and gaining work experience. New Heights is located on the second floor of the Armory Track and Field Center, which is also home to the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. Through two New Heights programs, participants are hired as temporary guards. Those in the GED program are paid a stipend by New Heights. Others who are hired as guides in the Armory receive a starting salary of $10 per hour. “Once the Armory takes a risk, other employers will take a risk,” she says.
Such job experience is of course good for the resume. “That is a big piece of our program. We redefine baby-sitting. We get them to think in terms of their strengths, not what they are lacking. They have to write out their resume themselves, even if they type it with one finger. It is the essential tool for the job interview,” Fernandez-Ketcham says. Students search for jobs and post their resumes on the Internet using the Community Technical and Learning Center located in adjacent offices to New Heights.
Students themselves under the supervision of counselors call employers to see if jobs are open, and a few have gotten interviews based on their calls. New Heights staff also stage mock taped job interviews. Students evaluate their performance themselves before and after they view the tape and change their approaches accordingly.
In addition, the center has developed internship and employment programs with local employers, who interview students at the center where they feel secure. Employers who have participated include Hostos and Borough of Manhattan Community Colleges, D’Agnostino, Prime America and Millenium.
As participants work and go to school, counselors check their progress through workshops and surveys. “We keep careful numerical count of their responses. If 13 of 20 say they aren’t happy with the hours they are working, we call them in for a workshop or phone them individually. If the survey shows that their job is causing problems at home we call them to see what needs to be done,” Fernandez-Ketcham says. Employers also fill out a survey. “If someone isn’t working out we might be able to prevent their losing the job or help them leave on good terms.”
Clearly Fernandez-Ketcham is proud of her program, but realistic about the challenges her participants face. “Retention has a new meaning with young adults. Young people traditionally move on to other jobs in six months, but some funders think it’s a problem if disconnected youth do the same. Not even adults stay at jobs for five years anymore, unless they want to make partner.”
The Community Education Pathways to Success program, an initiative of the Youth Development Institute, helps fund New Heights. Peter Kleinbard, YDI director says, “Even among the number of sites that stand out, Evelyn’s is exceptional. She comes from the community and is close to it and the youngsters obviously trust and respect her.”
New Heights has moved from helping over aged dropouts seek unemployment insurance to helping them begin to build career ladders. “Only a handful of these kids will go to college,” she says, “My premise is that these young adult would do better to be in a union job in a hospital with the chance for advancement. They had trouble navigating high school. They aren’t ready for college, which involves expense. If they have a job, after a few years their job might pay tuition.”
Learn more at: http://www.newheightsneighborhoodcenter.org/