Read what educators have to say about the value of PWA and the importance of broadening students' career horizons.
Resources
“We are so fortunate to have you as a partner and our kids really benefit from it as well. Our teamed approach has increased delivery of evidence-based strategies and interventions that we know keep students engaged in school, help them graduate from high school, be college admission ready, and connect them with career partners for immediate and future learnings."
-- Shay James, superintendent, North Clackamas School District
“I know that students are often told to go to college after high school, and I want to make sure that students know all of the different options that they have after high school. Having the opportunity to learn about a variety of career paths is important for all high school students, and it is most important for our students who don’t see themselves heading off to college right away. PWA gives students a wide variety of opportunities and experiences to help them understand what is possible after high school.
-- KD Parman of Roosevelt High School, Portland Public Schools
"Our high schools in particular have to be much more broad in their approach about how we are serving our students. We certainly want to prepare them to have opportunities to pursue a college pathway but we also want our students to explore and have career pathways. Public schools can’t do that alone. We need the leaders of industry locally … to create some of those on-ramps."
-- Guadalupe Guerrero, Portland Public Schools superintendent, on the need for business-education partnerships.
“Not everyone needs to go to college in order to find success. Not everyone has an easy path to get to the chair they sit in, and not everyone has to take the same path. I think PWA does so well showing students those paths and opportunities, and it's what gets me up and to school every morning.”
-- Dan Malone, administrator, Benson Polytechnic High School
“Living in a rural community, our students have limited access to college & career information. This was the first year we've taken our students to the Expo and the experience was unbeatable. The students were awestruck as they walked into the building. The learning that occurred as students participated in the hands-on activities was invaluable.”
-- Shara Robertson, Tillamook High School
“I love working with students at this age where they are making that transition into adulthood and working out what the next step in their life is. I think that’s my real passion right now – trying to help students find ways to progress beyond high school and find out what they want to be in their adult years.”
-- Andre Goodlow, assistant principal of Parkrose High School and PWA Board Member, on why he got involved with PWA.
“Partnerships are so important and it means a great deal to staff and students. The opportunities that you are bringing to our kids are amazing and will help them see the potential for their futures."
-- Petra Callin, executive director of high schools, North Clackamas School District.
“I start at the same place that (my teachers) started with me. I start with coffee with my students, looking for an opportunity to offer a word of encouragement or some gentle life advice."
-- Dr. David Bangsberg, OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Dean, on lessons learned from influential teachers in grade school and high school.
“Every kid needs this. Every kid needs access to these opportunities.”
-- Carol Campbell, Grant High School former Principal in Portland Public Schools, on the importance of career-related electives and off-campus career exploration.