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Career
Preparation Realities
The
Career Preparation Committee, known as CPR, is a committee
of the McLean County Community Compact, who takes on several
major functions and tasks throughout the year which represent
varied goals and outcomes within a variety of educational
areas. This committee represents business, education, community,
and government working together for tomorrow's leaders and
our students of today.
Today's
Career Preparation Realities Committee is an active committee
model with volunteers from all sectors of the community. Committee
members from ISU secure the ballroom of Bone Student Center
for today's Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering competition.
Others assist with the day's event, secure prizes for students
at the Intermission Competition, and work diligently monitoring
the challenging event.
In
Feburary 1998, the first Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering
Academic Challenge Competition was held in mid-central Illinois
sponsored by the CPR Committee of the McLean County Community
Compact. One hundred eighty-five juniors and seniors from
ten area high schools tested in two academic areas each. Their
scholastic aptitude was rated both individually and as a representative
from their school's team. The competition is always deemed
a successful event by students, teachers, business participants,
and the University of Illinois College of Engineering.
The
WYSE Competition sponsored by the CPR Committee was a "leap
of faith' by the Director of the WYSE Program. CPR assured
WYSE that the educational support of the schools was in place
to bring students to test. Teachers/WYSE coaches met with
Compact business representatives during the competition while
their students tested to hear first hand the skills needed
by academically talented students in the workplace.
Each
year, winners from the local Regional WYSE Competitions, hosted
locally, progress to Bradley University were the Sectional
WYSE Competition is held. If the team is a winner there, the
team competes at the State Competition at the University of
Illinois. We are fortunate to have had many winners advance
and place at the State level of this competition, both as
teams and as individuals.
The
CPR committee cooperated with University of Illinois Extension
to assist in the design of a pilot program involving Character
Counts!, a curriculum developed by the Josephson Institute.
A kindergarten through twelfth grade district, first through
fifth grades elementary school, and two area junior high schools
piloted the program for study during the fall of 1998.
Since
the original pilot project, hundreds of students have experienced
Character Education through the Character Counts! materials
purchased with funds obtained by the McLean County Community
Compact. Today, some entire schools, and even districts, have
now adopted the Character Counts! approach to positive education.
CPR
also made an offer to the 6th Grade Business Partnership Committee
to use their expertise and combined experiences in the areas
of curriculum design and classroom experience to develop a
resource known as the 6th Grade Business/Education Partnership
Manual. This document was printed in 2000-2001 academic year
and is in use today.
The
CPR Committee has been active in the past in participating
in Career Fairs. In the past, the CPR committee hosted exhibitor
training to first time career fair participants. In the spring
of 2004, the McLean County Community Compact assisted Heyworth
High School in hosting a successful College Night/Career Fair.
The opportunity to host on-the-job training for qualified
Bloomington Area Vocational Center students is a goal of CPR.
During the spring of 2001, the McLean County Community Compact
hosted Gina Givens for a one month period. Gina was a student
taking classes in office technology at Bloomington Area Vocational
Center. Other students have gained on-the-job experience through
volunteer relationships from Heartland Community College.
Heartland Community Scholars give back to the community approximately
ten hours per week during the fall and spring semesters. These
students learn from out programs and we learn from the students.
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