Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County scores $20K grant to boost youth employment

Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County is expanding its Reach, Innovate, Serve, Excel (RISE) program with a $20,000 grant. As part of the RISE program, high school students gain autonomy, real-world work skills and community connections through education and employment. The grant was provided by Bank of America.

RISE is designed to create pathways to success by breaking barriers to job access, closing the opportunity gap and establishing more equitable and inclusive workplaces, according to a news release. Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County’s approach prioritizes both hard-skill and soft-skill development, career exposure, and provides teens with valuable experiences prior to high school graduation – including the chance to earn wages and excel as part of a first job.

Julia Hockenberry, Executive Director, said “We are so grateful for Bank of America’s partnership with this grant supporting our RISE program. Investments like these allow us to enable youth to succeed as they prepare for adulthood and ultimately support the Club’s overreaching goal – for each child to realize their full potential as a productive, responsible, and caring citizen.”

This summer, high school students are participating in several educational activities such as financial literacy, career exploration, postsecondary readiness and leadership training. RISE participants also job shadow, as well as take part in apprenticeships and various community service projects.

Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County has a longstanding partnership with Bank of America, dating back to 1996, the release says.

“Bank of America recognizes the importance of providing high school students In Henderson County with valuable exposure to careers, community service and the life skills required for future success,” said Andy Nadeau, President, Bank of America Asheville. “Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County has created an effective model with RISE for addressing several aspects of college and career readiness, while also building a diverse pipeline of talent for our region.”

Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County measures RISE participants’ success in various ways, including by tracking on-time grade completion and graduation. RISE participants have maintained a 100% graduation rate for thirteen consecutive years.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County gets grant to boost employment