Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today applauded Denver Public Schools (DPS) for winning a $6,999,980 Youth Career Connect grant from the U.S. Department of Labor in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education. DPS will use the grant to expand opportunities for students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
“Preparing our kids to be the innovators of the future is crucial to remaining competitive in the 21st century economy,” Bennet said. “This grant will give Denver’s kids unique opportunities to take what they’re learning in their science and math classes and apply it directly to real-world work. They’ll develop skills that help prepare them for STEM careers in today’s economy.”
DPS will use the grant to create and expand STEM pathways in eight schools. Students will participate in a paid internship or job shadow and complete a capstone project that demonstrates how they applied the skills and knowledge learned in the classroom to their workplace-based learning experience. DPS will also work with workforce investment partners to provide career fairs and summer industry academies.
The Youth CareerConnect grant program is designed to encourage America’s school districts, institutions of higher education, the workforce investment system, and their partners to scale up evidence-based secondary school models that will transform the high school experience for America’s youth.