QUANTUM LEAPS Group to celebrate and graduate

The students designed Friday's celebration.
WARREN -- Students who participated in Mahoning Valley Jobs for Ohio Graduates Inc.'s Quantum Leaps program will celebrate the conclusion of eight months of work at a graduation and awards ceremony Friday.
Beginning at 11:30 a.m. in the auditorium of Harding High School, the 50 students who participated during the Summer Academy will receive certificates of completion.
A team of students, working with Quantum Leaps site coordinator Annette Smoyer and academic coordinator Gwen Brogdon, have designed a celebration, including decorations, program cover design and content.
Giant Eagle has donated cake for the event.
The program was funded for the year through the Workforce Investment Act and was designed to produce a better-prepared work force for the Valley's employers.
Putting program together
Based on research, the steering committee took a holistic approach to preparing students and created a program that incorporated more than academics of work-force development.
The program began with in-school activities in January and concluded with the Summer Academy, which was the most intensive.
The design of the Summer Academy included engaging students in academics to show the relevancy between school and work, providing personal skill training, offering work-force skill training, providing career exploration opportunities through labs, field trips and guest speakers and exposure to post-secondary options through visits to Youngstown State University.
Some students were placed on the job for the whole summer.
Mahoning Valley JOG Inc. serves students in Ashtabula, Columbiana, Geauga, Lake, Mahoning and Trumbull counties who need additional support in meeting their academic and personal goals.