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ALLEGAN COUNTY – The question often is asked about how wisely the “Stimulus” money is being spent and if it is really making a difference. Well, on Thursday, August 20, 2009, the Allegan Area Educational Service Agency (AAESA) Board of Education learned that it did make a difference this summer in Allegan County! Through the Allegan County Michigan Works! Service Center’s Summer WIA Youth Program, low-income youth 18-24 years of age were given a chance to develop work readiness skills and college readiness skills while earning college credit or obtaining their GED. Served by Allegan County Area Technical and Education Center (ACATEC) instructors, who are also accredited as Adjunct Lake Michigan College Instructors, the students improved their work readiness skills through combining project work and class work in Computer Aided Drafting, Electrical, Business, Graphics Arts, and Natural Resources. And they earned college credits at the same time, along with getting a paycheck. “The return on your investment was significant”, stated Nora Balgoyen-Williams, Michigan Works! Service Center Supervisor at the AAESA Board of Education meeting. The AAESA is the fiscal agent for the Allegan County Michigan Works! Service Center.  Door to the Future * 78% of the participants earned 1 college credit * 52% of the participants earned 3-4 college credits * 50% of the participants earned 4 credits * 27% of participants in the non college group earned their GED * 63% of the non college group are near and will finish their GED in the next few weeks In all, 16 people earned 8-9 college credits; 17 earned 4-5 college credits; and 24 earned 1 college credit. All of the participants are continuing to work with their MiWorks! counselor to finish their credits or their GED and/or register for college this fall.
Balgoyen-Williams explained to the board members that a part of the summer program was a visit and tour of Lake Michigan Community College, a partner with the AAESA and the Allegan County Area Technical and Education Center (ACATEC) where many of these students discovered for the first time that they can be successful in college classes and improving their lives and those of their family through educational growth. “All in all, this is a win-win partnership situation community-wide”, stated Mark Dobias, AAESA Superintendent. “Along with the AAESA, ACATEC, Lake Michigan College and Michigan Works! Service Center, partners included Allegan County and the county IT, Senior Services, 911, Transportation, Drain Commission, and County Parks Departments; and Family Planning of Allegan County. Unlike most counties across the state and nation that used the stimulus funds by focusing only on work readiness skills, Allegan County chose to focus on both work readiness skills and college readiness skills, with the belief that both are needed to really make a significant and meaningful difference and help change and improve long-term the quality of peoples’ lives. The Allegan County Michigan Works! Service Center and the Allegan County Areas Technical and Education Center are programs of the AAESA. For more information contact those listed above. |
