| The Partnership for Student Advancement (PSA) helps financially
underprivileged high school students, particularly minorities,
identify and pursue a career path. PSA's life skills training
and career development programs include skill and aptitude
matching and support services, which smooth the
school-to-work transition. |
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| Since many of our students will be attending
college, PSA is prepared to assist them in this transition
as well. Armed with the test results and career information
gained from attending classes, personal coaching and business
readiness training, students will be better prepared to choose
a major course of study that takes into account their aptitudes
and personal interests. |
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| We're committed to assisting students to achieve
professional success and personal fulfillment, as well as building
tomorrow's workforce. |
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| THE PROCESS: |
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| STUDENT SELECTION: |
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| Method of Selection |
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| The PSA pilot project is in partnership with
Norman Thomas High School, New York City. Working directly
with the school's career counselor, PSA has chosen participants
from a pool of motivated students identified by the school's
teachers. |
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| Once the pilot project is completed, PSA will
reach out to other New York City schools. |
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| Selection Criteria . |
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| In order to be considered for the PSA
program, students must: |
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have a grade point average of ”B” or
higher |
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have over a 95% percent attendance record |
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be eligible for the free/reduced lunch program |
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| Selection Process |
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A three-member PSA panel made up of a board
member and two professional volunteers select the participants.
Student attitudes and career goals
are assessed through an interview, as well as evaluation of
an essay describing why he/she wants to be in the program. |
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| TESTING |
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Test
Measurements |
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Test Results |
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Student Career
Choices |
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Testing Organization |
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| Once a student is accepted in the program,
he/she receives aptitude/skill testing administered by the
Johnson O'Connor Research Foundation, a national testing organization.
This nonprofit scientific research and education organization
is committed to studying human abilities, providing people
with knowledge that will help them make school and work decisions. |
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| TEST MEASUREMENTS |
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| Students take a comprehensive battery of tests
to measure their natural talents, special abilities for doing
or learning to do certain things, and other aptitudes. Measured
traits are highly-stable over the long term. Aptitudes tested
include perceptual speed, musical ability, spatial visualization
and memory for numbers, to name a few. |
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| TEST RESULTS |
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| Test results will provide each student with
an inventory of his/her aptitudes and examples of types of
work that combine these aptitudes |
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| STUDENT CAREER CHOICES |
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| Selecting a career that uses a student's aptitudes
will more likely result in long-term work enjoyment and success.
The Foundation will suggest possible careers to students, as
well as those that would not be suitable for their skill sets. |
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| The information is provided to each student
at a session at the Foundation. Also in attendance are the
student's parent/guardian and PSA-assigned professional coach. |
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| THE ORGANIZATION |
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The Johnson O'Connor
Research Foundation is
a nonprofit scientific research and educational organization.
Since 1922, hundreds of thousands of people
have used the Foundation's aptitude
testing service to learn more about themselves so they can
more successful in their careers and lives. |
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| CAREER EXPLORATION |
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| PSA has partnered with the Boy Scouts to provide
classes in career exploration to its participants. These classes
take place at over 75 organizations and corporations. They
consist of single or multiple instructional/career opportunities
sessions, many of which include hands-on involvement. |
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| Sample class sites and subjects include: |
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| CAREER COACHING |
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The Coaching
The Coach |
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| THE COACHING |
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| After the career classes, participants receive
one-on-one career coaching with a professional career coach.
The sessions focus on review and discussion of the classes, as well as how what
they're learning fits into the student's overall career path. |
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| The coach will also provide personal one-on-one
life skills sessions, as well as occasional group sessions
focusing on self-development, self-awareness and behavioral skills. |
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| Self-development skills covered will include
self-confidence, self-respect, self-control, personal empowerment
and anger management. |
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| Interaction skills covered will include honesty,
trust, taking responsibility, teamwork and respect for others. |
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| THE COACH |
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| PSA's current coach is Roni Abrams,
President of Roni Abrams Associates Limited, a coaching, training
and management consulting firm. Abrams specializes in perceptual
training, interpersonal communications, executive and presentation
coaching, managing change, sales, negotiations, strategic planning
and networking. |
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| Clients have included Clairol, New York Association
of Realty Managers, Art news , Helpern Architects P.C., The
Corcoran Group and Metropolitan Life Insurance. |
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| Coaching Participant in 2007: |
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| Paul McGinniss is founder and president
of Response-Able Consulting Inc., a Long Island-based consultancy
offering a Suite of Professional Services including coaching,
training, and communications. His coaching focuses on helping
people create and work towards their personal and professional
visions. McGinniss is a Certified Results Coach and works with
small business owners as a Certified Strategic Business Leadership
(SBL) coach and as a TAB-Certified Facilitator for The Alternative
Board TAB-Suffolk. |
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| BUSINESS TRAINING |
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Training Sessions
The Trainers |
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| TRAINING SESSIONS |
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| PSA trainers hold group classroom sessions for
participants in business skills and career-related topics,
including: |
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Bridge the Gap: Workplace Communication Skills |
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Can You Hear me Now: Professional Phone Skills |
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Get It Write: Creating an Effective Resume |
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Learn by Doing: How to do Informational Interviews |
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Look Sharp: Professional Workplace Attire |
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Meeting the People: Networking Techniques |
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Show and Tell: Successful Interview Techniques |
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Show Me the Money: Improving Financial Literacy |
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Teamwork: the Benefits of Working in Teams |
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The Success Workshop |
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We the People: Transitioning from Sensible Student to
Responsible Citizen |
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| In addition, PSA will occasionally feature professionals
in our Professional Highlight series who will speak to the
group about their field and its requirements. |
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| THE TRAINERS |
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| Roni Abrams |
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| Roni Abrams is President of Roni Abrams Associates
Limited, a coaching, training and management consulting firm.
Abrams specializes in perceptual training, interpersonal communications, executive and presentation coaching, managing
change, sales, negotiations, strategic planning and networking. |
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| Clients have included Clairol, New York Association
of Realty Managers, Artnews , Helpern Architects P.C., The
Corcoran Group and Metropolitan Life Insurance. |
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| Judy Katz |
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| Judy Katz is an executive and educator who has
worked with and consulted to corporations, nonprofits and educational
institutions on strategy, operational improvement and leadership
development. Clients have included the New York City Department
of Education, Con Edison and BMG. Katz is New York StateCertified
in secondary social studies and has taught at the middle school,
high school and university levels. |
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| Paul McGinniss |
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| Paul McGinniss is founder and president of Response-Able
Consulting Inc., a Long Island-based consultancy offering a
Suite of Professional Services including coaching, training,
and communications. McGinniss has been a corporate trainer
and a manager/director of training/people development for industry
leaders including Newsday, Yellow Book, Time Warner, and Time
Inc. He has created and/or delivered numerous training programs
focusing on customer service, business systems, sales, and
management. McGinniss earned his Masters of Science in Human
Resources Management from NYIT and is a member of the Society
for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the American Society
of Training & Development (ASTD). |
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| Elena Sisti |
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| Elena Sisti is managing partner of Sisti and
Sherwinter LLC, Management Consultants. Previously, she spent
25 years as an executive with Citibank NA. She is a marketing
professional and strategist, specializing in consumer banking.
She played a major role at the bank as a change agent and advocate
and champion for customers and staff. |
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| WOWZONE trainers |
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| WOWZONE trainers provide financial training
programs under the guidance of Kristian Diaz, as part of the
training outreach program of Commerce Bank. |
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| INTERNING/JOB SHADOWING |
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| PSA places participants who have identified
a career in a job shadowing position. For a week or more, the
student observes a person in a work environment performing
the day-to-day duties of the career. The purpose of this element
of the program is to provide the student with a fuller understanding
of what a job in the field entails. |
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| The job shadowing is tailored to the needs of
the individual. Job shadowing for the students in the pilot
project will begin in 2007, as they affirm career choices. |
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| HELP IN SEARCH FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE |
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| PSA will work with students who plan to further
their education in college or technical school by helping them
search for grants, scholarships or other funding sources. |
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| FOLLOW UP |
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| PSA will continue to work actively with the
students until they graduate from high school. PSA will contact
graduates every few months via email or phone calls as they
move on to college or other advanced training. |
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| Follow up and support services will be available
to graduates as they deal with career issues. |
