CBS Connects Program Launches

The Parma City School District, through collaboration with the Parma Area Chamber of Commerce, Community Ambassadors and the Community/Business/School partnership, was recently awarded the Community Connectors Grant. The Community Connectors Grant, offered by the State of Ohio, provides $6.8 million in 3-to-1 matching grants that help give more Ohio students access to role models and to help motivate and inspire them.  The program also aims to help students develop skills that will lead to additional successes in the school and the marketplace.  The goal is to produce college and career ready graduates from the Parma City School District that can make a positive impact in the community, region, state and beyond. I am reaching out to you today to provide you some information about the CBS Connects program as well as inquire if anyone would be interested in some of the opportunities below that we are going to be providing to students.

• Internship Opportunities:  Click HERE to view some of the benefits for employers and students who participate in internship opportunities.  You can also click HERE to view information on the Ohio Career Exploration Internship Program that provides for-profit businesses a reimbursement incentive to hire high school interns.  A business can hire three interns in one calendar year and if the intern completes at least 20 weeks and 200 hours of paid work the business can be reimbursed 50% of the wages paid to the intern.  It is a great opportunity for the students and business owners.
• Mentor/Mentee Luncheons:  We will be hosting Mentor/Mentee Luncheons to our students in high school and middle school.  We will provide the mentors and the mentees a catered lunch and give them the opportunity to discuss and explore different career fields.  If you work in one of the following career fields and would be interested in coming in and speaking to our students and eat lunch with them please contact me.
  Career Fields for Mentor/Mentee Luncheons:
  • Finance and Accounting
  • Medical Professions
  • Education
  • Manufacturing and Welding
  • Engineering
  • Information Technology
• 

  Valley Forge Sophomore Engineering students going through a Simulated Work Experience at the Parma GM plant.

  Job Shadowing:   We want to provide our students with the opportunity to get out in the community and job shadow someone in a career that interests them.  If you are interested in allowing a student to job shadow you for a day please let me know and I can get you added to our website under the job shadowing section.  You can either offer a one time job shadow or provide multiple students a job shadowing opportunity based on your availability.

• Career Exploration Field Trips: We are looking for businesses that would be willing to host small groups (5-7 students) to their business work site and provide students with a tour, a history of their company and speakers to discuss the variety of career fields that are available within their business.  Also if the company was able to provide some one on one time with some employees and would be able to provide the students lunch that would be a bonus as well, but not a requirement.
• Part-Time Jobs:  If you currently hire high school students to work for your business or organization I would like to add your business to our website under the part-time jobs section and put a copy of your job application as a PDF file on our website so the students have a one stop shop to find job opportunities in our area.
• Volunteer Opportunities:  If your business or organization offers any volunteer opportunities or are connected with community service projects I would love to promote those on our website as well.
• One to One Mentoring:  We will be starting a one to one mentoring program for students if you have the desire to work one on one with a student and be a positive role model in their life please let me know!

You can find more information about the CBS Connects program at www.cbsconnects.org and you can follow us on Facebook and on Twitter.  If you have any questions about any of our opportunities please do not hesitate to contact me.  I look forward to working together to make the Parma City School District and community great!! Charles Caldwell CBS Connects Coordinator Parma City School District (c): 440-305-3054 caldwellc@parmacityschools.org www.cbsconnects.org