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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 22, 2022
PHOENIX –The Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation has granted ElevateEdAZ, the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation’s (the Foundation) strategic education initiative, funding to expand to two additional schools in Maricopa County, one public and one charter in the 2022-23 school year. ElevateEdAZ prepares individuals for college and career through stronger alignment between education, business, and the community.
“By 2028, 70 percent of jobs in Arizona will require an education beyond a high school diploma,” said Tom Egan, Executive Director, Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation. “Arizona needs to provide more opportunities for high school students and by partnering with ElevateEdAZ, we hope to help. Their program is designed to help job seekers obtain the skills necessary to be college and career ready. We’re proud to be supporting ElevateEdAZ in their goal of ensuring alignment of education to workforce as Arizona students enter the job market.”
The funding will be used to embed one ElevateEdAZ College and Career Coach at each of the campuses, provide a YouScience aptitude and interest assessment to all students to help them determine their career path, fund career awareness events such as mock interviews and resume-building workshops, and provide incentives to students, teachers, and schools to accelerate outcomes.
“We’re so appreciative of the Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation and their commitment to education and developing the workforce in Arizona,” said Jennifer Mellor, Chief Innovation Officer of the Foundation. “With their generous donation, we will be able to provide an additional 2,000-5,000 students with career exposure to high-wage, high-demand, and high-skill occupations. They will also gain access to job shadowing and internship opportunities with local employers who, in addition to ElevateEdAZ College and Career Coaches, can provide tips on resume writing, networking, and different occupations available.”
In 2020, the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation, embarked on a two-and-a-half-year pilot program on a work-based learning initiative for secondary education. They convened business and education stakeholders to create a strategic plan and launched ElevateEdAZ in partnership with Phoenix Union High School District (PXU). Over the 2021-22 school year, ElevateEdAZ expanded to five schools across PXU and Mesa Public Schools. Thanks to funding from organizations like the Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation, as well as other local and national philanthropic partners, ElevateEdAZ will expand to eight high schools in 2022-23 and at least one charter school.
A Phoenix Coding Academy student who took part in ElevateEdAZ this year, said “ElevateEdAZ and my internship class helped change my perception of the professional world. Topics such as STAR interview method, creating a resume, and the mock interview have all given me a reality check of what life is like after high school.”
ElevateEdAZ is focused on aligning education to workforce learning pathways with the needs of Arizona’s leading industries. Our primary objectives include increasing the number of students enrolled in and completing high-wage, high-demand career pathways, increasing student attainment of industry-recognized credentials and early post-secondary credit, providing more students with work-based learning experiences, and empowering educators to reimagine classroom learning through educator externships.
To learn more or partner with ElevateEdAZ, contact: Brittany Holmes at bholmes@phoenixchamber.com.
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About ElevateEdAZ
Launched in 2020, ElevateEdAZ prepares individuals for college and career through stronger alignment between education, business, and the community. ElevateEdAZ is a strategic education initiative of the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation.
About the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation
The Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation (the Foundation) convenes and catalyzes business, education, and community to enhance college and career readiness, develop a stronger workforce, and build healthier communities throughout Arizona.
The Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, leads the charitable and education initiatives of the Greater Phoenix Chamber under the four pillars of education, workforce development, wellness, and research. Through strong alignment between education, business, and community, the Foundation prepares individuals for college and career and serves as an intermediary to convey workforce needs and champion scalable workforce solutions. In addition, the Foundation makes Arizona and the Greater Phoenix region known as destinations for healthy talent and healthy communities through workplace wellness efforts and publishes data-driven research to inform policymakers, business leaders, and the general public.