July 2024 Newsletter
Empowering Futures and Celebrating Progress
PHILLIPS School - Annandale Receives $5,000 Rachael Ray Foundation ProStart Grow Grant to Expand its Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management Program
PHILLIPS School - Annandale is one of 40 high schools nationwide selected to receive a $5,000 grant from The Rachael Ray Foundation and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) to enhance its ProStart culinary arts and restaurant management program with new equipment, curriculum, and experiential learning opportunities.
The Rachael Ray ProStart’s structured, fundamental curriculum will immensely benefit PHILLIPS students. Programming will prepare them for entry-level positions through authentic engagement, practical training, and industry-recognized certifications. It will also equip students with the necessary skills and credentials to pursue meaningful employment opportunities upon graduation, providing a foundation to transition into the workforce successfully.
ProStart programming exposes students to various career pathways within the hospitality industry, including culinary arts, restaurant management, and food service operations. Students will have the opportunity to explore different roles and discover where their interests and talents align, helping them make informed decisions about their future careers.
"For PHILLIPS students especially, Career and Technical Education programming can make the difference in our students’ post-school success or their encountering under/unemployment," said PHILLIPS President and CEO, Piper Phillips Caswell. "Learners with behavioral health wellness needs face significant barriers to entering the workforce, and are often under employed and without a safety net. They will thrive in work environments that are human-centered and offer authentic work experiences. The partnership between PHILLIPS and ProStart enhances strong outcomes of successful employment."
“Providing Grow Grants is one of my favorite times of the year. The educators who invest their passion and energy into their classrooms are inspiring. I love to see the impact their work has on the students who graduate from ProStart with the knowledge and excitement for the restaurant industry,” said Rachael Ray.
Being at Your Best Is Hard When You’re Hungry: Help Us Change That
Join us in making a vital difference this summer! With the school year over, many of our students are facing uncertainty about where their next meal will come from. Your support can ensure they have access to nutritious food during the break.
Thanks to your generosity, we’ve made incredible progress, but we are just $2,000 shy of reaching our goal!
Your donation, no matter the size, can alleviate food insecurity and promote the well-being of our students and their families. Let's come together to nourish our community and support our students in every way possible.
Click here to donate and help us reach our goal!!
Shaping Tomorrow: Insights from the Jobs for the Future Conference
PHILLIPS Programs is committed to creating meaningful opportunities for all individuals, especially those facing barriers to employment. Recently, Kim Dreux-Kelly, Business Development Director, SpringForward Ventures, Piper Phillips Caswell, PHILLIPS Programs President & CEO, and Dr. Rose Ann Renteria, Director of Research and Evaluation, attended the Jobs for the Future conference in Washington, DC, to further this mission. Our participation in the conference aligns with our initiative, SpringForward, our new nonprofit incubating employment social enterprises for people encountering barriers to work. SpringForward is dedicated to addressing employment for those with behavioral health wellness needs. By attending this conference, we sought to gain insights and forge partnerships that will help us develop and expand these vital programs.
At the conference, we connected with like-minded organizations and leaders who are also committed to breaking down barriers and creating inclusive employment opportunities. The discussions and sessions provided valuable information and strategies that we can integrate into our programs to better support our community. We exchanged ideas on innovative practices, learned about successful models from other regions, and identified potential collaborators who share our vision of empowering individuals through meaningful work!
Through SpringForward, we aim to transform traditional employment models and create pathways for economic empowerment and social inclusion. Our goal is to build social enterprises that not only provide jobs but also foster a supportive and nurturing environment for individuals to thrive via our EVERY Employee approach, a human-centered design work environment leading to employee ownership.
Discover the incredible artwork from ESY students at PHILLIPS Programs! Our talented students have been diving into the world of Kinetic art, exploring how movement can be captured in 3-D, and creating mesmerizing Op art that plays with motion on a flat plane. These pieces beautifully showcase their understanding of art and movement.
Extending Learning and Support: ESY at PHILLIPS
At PHILLIPS Programs, we believe that learning and support shouldn't take a break. Our Extended School Year (ESY) program ensures that students continue to receive educational and behavioral support throughout the summer months. This ESY, our program has utilized the movie Inside Out, the clever Disney film about a young girl learning to understand the emotions in her head, such as joy, fear, and disgust. Inspired by the film, our students are focusing on their own emotions and how these emotions affect them on a daily basis.
One activity tasked our students with identifying a feeling and assigning a corresponding color to reflect that emotion. Other activities continued to help our students express their feelings in color, in addition to, or as an alternative to, the use of words. By engaging in these activities, students can better identify and express their feelings, allowing us to provide more targeted support to meet their needs.
From academics to social skills development, our dedicated staff have worked tirelessly to create a nurturing and engaging environment. By maintaining continuity in learning and support, we help our students retain their progress and prepare for the upcoming school year with confidence and enthusiasm.
Raising the Roof in Style: A Major Milestone for Building Futures
We are thrilled to share an exciting update from our Building Futures program—our house is now officially under roof! This crucial milestone marks a significant step forward in our students' hands-on career training journey.
PHILLIPS’ Building Futures program is dedicated to equipping youth with the skills necessary to excel in the building trades. Our program integrates academic instruction, positive behavioral supports, and industry certification into the school day, providing a comprehensive learning experience.
With the completion of the new roof, we are not just constructing a house; we are building futures, one roof at a time. This accomplishment showcases our commitment to empowering the next generation of skilled tradespeople. As we continue to support and mentor our students, we look forward to seeing them reach new heights and achieve their career goals.
Here’s to many more milestones and the continued success of our Building Futures program!
Celebrating 57 Years of Impact
This month marks a significant milestone in PHILLIPS Programs’ history: 57 years of dedicated service and transformative impact! Since the founding of the School for Contemporary Education (SCE) in 1967, our programs have been a beacon of hope and support for individuals and families navigating behavioral and emotional well-being needs in their educational journey and beyond.
From our early beginnings to becoming a cornerstone of student-centered youth services and education, we've continuously evolved to meet the changing needs of our community. Through PHILLIPS' various programs and initiatives, we've empowered countless lives and created pathways to success.
We are immensely proud of the milestones we've achieved and the lives we've touched. None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of our community, partners, and dedicated staff who embody our mission every day.
Join us in celebrating this milestone of resilience, growth, and unwavering commitment to student academic success, behavioral care, and well-being. Together, we look forward to continuing our journey, creating meaningful change, and fostering hope for many more years to come!