by Eileen Wedegartner
“Miss, why do you do this?” Alyssa asked. “Why do you help? What brought you here? Like how did you decide to work with kids at all?”
I looked at her contemplatively and said, “Because I believe in this. I think working with students taking college courses in high school is one of the best ways to level the playing field and make sure they are ready for jobs when they graduate.”
by Greg Cunningham
On Saturday, June 26 the Red Sox beat the Yankees 4-2, but the high point of the evening was a pre-game ceremony honoring this year’s Red Sox Scholars. One of the honorees standing on the hallowed turf was Habiba Haji, who graduated from Durfee High School in Fall River after transferring from John D. O’Bryant in Boston. Habiba was a student in JFYNetWorks’ dual enrollment program at Durfee with Bridgewater State University.
by Eileen Wedegartner
The need for a workforce with strong technical skills continues to grow in Massachusetts. Boston’s skyline, the Seaport, Kendall Square, Longwood, Kenmore Square and the spreading biotech campuses along 95 and 495 give tangible evidence of this need. The drivers of the Massachusetts economy demand workers who have strong skill sets.
by Eileen Wedegartner, Blended Learning Specialist
The college admissions scandal that broke in March kept unfolding through the weeks and months like an origami of shame, exposing story after sordid story of gross inequity in the college admissions process.
As the national networks uncoiled twisted tales of bribery and deception that famous parents of means had braided to get their kids into elite colleges, local news stations were swarmed by flocks of ordinary people calling in anonymously to admit that they had written their children’s essays for them.
by Eileen Wedegartner, Blended Learning Specialist
Measuring “college readiness” is quite the conundrum. Some say it is about test scores, class rank, SAT and GPA. But I think it goes beyond those quantitative data points. While they are all important indicators of skill, there are other measures that cannot be captured in scores but are inherent in “readiness.” These qualities or capacities include executive function, time management in general, prioritizing work and planning for due dates.
