Power Partners
NISD Communications Department
December 22, 2006
Special education students at the Northside Vocational Transition Program and magnet school students at Communications Arts High School both are learning more about the real world thanks to powerful partnerships with local businesses.
For three years in a row, World Savings has donated $10,000 to NVTP to cover the cost of rent on an apartment used to give students hands-on lessons about independent living. And Communications Arts students are learning how to use state-of-the-art video production equipment because of a donation from San Antonio-based NewTek.
Earlier this year, NewTek donated a TriCaster – essentially an entire television studio in a box small enough to fit in a backpack – to Communications Arts High School earlier this year.
“It enables us to do live broadcasting more professionally than we’ve done before,” said Heidi Whitus, Communications Arts’ video technology teacher. “It gives students experience with equipment similar to what they would find in the real world. Any kind of access they have to professional grade equipment is really important.”
Theresa Lucio, education specialist at NewTek, said a relationship between her company and Communications Arts made sense.
It’s important that students be media literate in today’s world, and “it seemed like a great synergy to be able to donate this type of machine to Comm Arts, where they’re so passionate about everything media,” said Lucio, herself a 1989 Taft graduate.
One day, the benefits could be even more tangible for NewTek. Communications Arts students could be prospective employees in the future, Lucio said.
“We like to invest in the future,” she said. “This is a seed I really hope will spread throughout the District.”
Northside’s relationship with World Savings developed about five years ago, when an executive at the financial company had a son enrolled in NVTP, a program designed for students with mental disabilities.
As part of the NVTP curriculum, students were invited to work at World Savings at a variety of positions in the cafeteria and mail room or doing data entry.
About 3½ years ago, NVTP developed Project LEAP, or Life Education Advancement Program, to teach students how to live independently. World Savings stepped forward again to pay rent and utilities for an apartment at Methodist Mission Home.
“We wouldn’t be able to do it without them,” said Barbara Silverstein, community training teacher.
Daytime classes are held regularly at the apartment, and several times a year, overnight stays are organized. Students plan a meal, shop for food, budget their money and host a dinner for their parents.
For many of the students, it’s the first time they’ve even spent a night away from their parents, Silverstein said.
“The business partnerships provide real world experience to students,” said Bonnie Ellison, Northside’s director of partnerships. “In schools we can teach a lot of things, but we can’t give students a realistic view of what’s going to happen when they graduate. They have to experience it.”
Students bring views of their generation to the businesses and also represent future customers and employees, Ellison said.
“It’s beneficial to both sides,” she said.
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