
| March 2011-Partnership Rapid City |
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Central High School junior Tyler Allen has been working at West Central Manufacturing since September. He's learning the ins and outs of welding and grinding steel doors and windows. Allen is taking part in the Learn and Serve program under Partnership Rapid City, an opportunity that will prepare him for the future. Julie Ward with Partnership Rapid City says, "He's experimenting before he gets his diploma and walks across the stage he has a feel for what that career choice is going to be. What it pays, what are the things that he has to prepare for? Is it really going to fit his goals? So he has a real opportunity to explore a career before he even gets there." Partnership Rapid City is a collaboration between the Rapid City area schools and the Rapid City Public School Foundation. As part of the Learn and Serve program, girls at Girls, Inc. practice literacy with a high school student interested in education. This year more than 400 high school students are enrolled in Learn and Serve with 200 local businesses participating. Western Central Manufacturing owner Jim Hoag says, "The program has been very beneficial to us. We actually have the opportunity to pre-interview what could be a future employee." Partnership Rapid City wants to get kids out of the classroom and into the community, with hopes of discovering their pathway in life. Ward says, "Their goals and their pathway, if they can discover that early enough that is definitely going to keep them in school. It's going to keep them from dropping out because they do have a goal and some thing to work. And they can see the fruit at the end of their work." Tyler Allen says, "It gets me out of the house, out of trouble, its just kind of fun to come down here and learn different technique to do welding and grinding and everything." Allen attends his internship one day a week, with no pay in return. But he already has the possibility of a full-time job this summer, if he wants it. Hoag says, "It depends on the kids. They start as helper or laborer, but in Tyler's case he's actually worked himself up to where I would consider him a valuable employee." Amanda Weber |

