At its May 20, 2011 Board meeting, TCWIB gave a STEP award to Lauren Neuhaeusler. Lauren, now a twenty-one year old education major at Slippery Rock University, entered Career T.R.A.C.K.'s Summer Youth Program at the age of 15 in June 2005. Starting out in the Foundations program, Lauren enhanced her reading and math skills and also learned valuable life skills. During this time, Lauren knew she wanted to become an elementary teacher after high school, but did not know how to approach this goal. No member of her family had ever graduated from college with a bachelor's degree.
In 2006, Lauren was placed in a work site that correlated with her future career goal of becoming a teacher. Over the next several summers, Lauren learned to perform secretarial duties, but most importantly, assisted with the ABE/GED classroom portion of the Summer Youth Program. Her daily duties often included assisting the teacher in helping students with math and reading skills and assessing summer youth participants. As Lauren continued to work and gain experience at the office for five consecutive summers, she put her hard earned wages towards college. Throughout her college experience, she excelled in the classroom maintaining a 3.7 GPA. After completing her final year of eligibility in the Summer Youth Program this summer, Lauren will begin her senior year and is looking forward to her chance to teach. Lauren will graduate from college in May 2012.
Lauren is grateful for the support that Career T.R.A.C.K.'s Summer Youth Program has provided in her goal of becoming a teacher.
Career T.R.A.C.K. is a service provider of TCWIB which offers adult, dislocated worker, and youth services to the tri-county region. TCWIB’s STEPS Success Program recognizes Success with TCWIB Programs, Employers, Participants, and Staff.
Pictured above from left to right - Jim Ferguson, TCWIB Chair; Lauren Neuhaeusler, STEP Award Winner; Brad Bowser, Career T.R.A.C.K. Youth Case Manager