CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOUNDATION
Expanding Horizons Program
An Opportunity To Give a Little Time to Make a Big Difference
Expanding Horizons Program
An Opportunity To Give a Little Time to Make a Big Difference
By Therese A. Barron for Lit Fest Magazine
The Expanding Horizons Program was developed in 1995 by the Constitutional Rights Foundation. This very powerful program is aimed at providing bright, young high school students from low income homes with the opportunity to engage in civic learning, attend educational workshops and gain job experience and, if they so choose, have a support system in place in order to guide them through the process of applying to colleges. There are opportunities for people to volunteer with this program that take very little time but will result in making a difference in the lives of these young people.
We hear so much about how broken our school system is. What we don't hear about are the teachers and counselors who do care about the students (there are many), and who work with local organizations such as CRF to support students in bettering their lives. Expanding Horizons Internships, under the management of Nancy Sanchez, reaches out to many young students in our schools who are bright and show great promise. Teachers or counselors of 11th graders work with students who show promise and meet the criteria for this program. In order to participate in the program the students must meet the following requirements: neither parent graduated from college, and they participate in the Free/Reduced Meals Program at their school. Students must also complete the following: (1) complete a written application, (2) submit a transcript and two letters of recommendation from teachers; (3) provide proof of participation in the Free/Reduced Meals Program; (4) write an essay; and (5) pass two rounds of interviews.
Students who successfully complete the application are invited to an orientation and first round interview. At the orientation students receive guidance on how to prepare for an interview. Students who pass the first round interview proceed to the second interview at a job site in the for-profit or non-profit sector. When a student is selected to work at a job site, they enter the next phase of the program. In this phase, the students get detailed training on how to behave in the work world. It begins with a panel of work site supervisors who gather on a panel and tell the students about what it is like to work in the 9-5 world. Every Friday students attend seminars hosted by CRF, where they learn about team building, work ethics, how to handle the money that they will be earning, community issues and living in a democratic society. These and many other topics provide important tools for being in the work force.
At the work sites the students are generally trained to perform a variety of jobs. Most of them have an idea of what fields of work they are interested in, but have no concept of how those fields of work function. The students learn a variety of jobs so that they can see how a business functions. Many of the students develop and maintain relationships with people they meet during their participation in the program.
So, what could an artist such as myself do to help this program, you ask? Excellent question! What these students need, now that they have the opportunity to get job experience, is guidance with those small-but-vitally important details: how to, with limited funds, present themselves as professionals through hair, makeup, and clothes, as well as guidance on how to appear confident.
Putting yourself together on a budget is an art form that has been perfected by most artists in the entertainment industry. Many of my industry friends have confided in me that they do not wear the "designer" make-up and clothing, but shop at Target and thrift shops. However finding bargain prices that don't look cheap is a real skill, and one that can be taught to these underprivileged youth.
Another skill that performing artists can teach, and one that I have written about before in this column, is interview skills. All the drive in the world can't teach teenagers how to respond to interview questions in a professional and confident manner, but an interview coach (such as yourself) can.
Changing the course of a life can take only a few minutes. With the help of the artistic community, these ambitious and goal-oriented kids will gain that extra little edge that will allow them to navigate the professional world, and you can make all the difference.
To get involved, or to make a donation to this wonderful organization, contact Nancy Sanchez at (213) 316-2109. To learn more about the Constitutional Rights Foundation and the Expanding Horizons program, please visit their website at http://crf-usa.org/youth-internship-program/blog.html.
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