Grants Help Students Join Work Force

One million dollars in School to Career grants received this week from the Ventura County superintendent of schools office will be used to help students transition from high school to the work force.

School to Career grants for the 1999-2000 school year have been awarded to:

* Buena High School, $83,000;

* Nordhoff High School, $70,000;

* Fillmore High School, $64,900;

* Oxnard High School, $49,000.

Moorpark High School and Moorpark College also received grants.

Anacapa and Balboa middle schools, which feed into Buena High, will each receive $6,400, and the seven feeder elementary schools will receive $3,000 each to fund services for career awareness and exploration activities under the grant, said Tom Stoddart, coordinator for the Ventura Unified School District career education program.

“School to Career teaches [students] how to apply academic skills in the workplace,” Stoddart said. “School to Career sends a strong message that in order to compete in a global economy, we must develop a well-educated and productive work force. The idea is that in order for all students to lead fulfilling lives and work in meaningful careers, they must master not only high academic standards but learn how to apply them into workplace skills.”