Cambridge Work Force program helps high school students in public housing learn key life skills
CAMBRIDGE - The Cambridge Housing Authority has a unique program for teens in Cambridge Public Housing where they address specific educational issues.
"Being the first in their family to graduate high school, to go to college. So we started saying, 'How can we get them through high school?'" said Deputy Director of Resident Services at Cambridge Housing Authority Kambiz Maali.
They developed the Work Force High School program, where going to school becomes a job and young adults receive incentives for attending.
"That's how we've grown from a five-year program to an 11-year program, where we now start in sixth grade," Maali told WBZ-TV.
The classes are small and many of them are taught by the alums of the program.
"It would keep me accountable and learn really good skills around college enrollment and job readiness. So one of my favorite activities was, we would learn how to (tie neckties)," said Work Force Teacher-Counselor Yanley Francois.
"When we talk about job readiness and career exploration, what does it look like to be on the job? We actually do an activity where we have different outfits," said Work Force Senior Teacher-Counselor Ayesha Wilson.
The biggest impact in the program actually lies with the alumni. Yanley and Ayesha are just two who have returned to teach, but Maali would love to see more return to the program.
"When I first started here we didn't have any alumni working for us and now all of our part time staff are alumni, we have so many full time staff that are alumni," said Maali.
There is a fabulous feeling when the students get it and advance to the next level.
"What has been a beauty and a great privilege and an honor to be here for the last nine years is to serve several children in one family," Wilson said.
"One of our students recently told me that she got into Framingham (State) University. For her to do early decision and get accepted and come to me in the middle of class and just knock on the door and say ' Hey Yanley, I got accepted into Framingham State, I was just like, I stopped the class and ran after her," Francois said.
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