Project Aims to Connect Washington County Youth to Extended Learning Opportunities
For Immediate Release Please
Release Date: October 9, 2022
Program Contact: Corrie Hunkler, corrie.hunkler@healthyacadia.org
Media Contact: Tracey Carlson, tracey@healthyacadia.org or (207) 667-7171 Ext. 112
Project Aims to Connect Washington County Youth to Extended Learning Opportunities
Washington County, ME. Healthy Acadia is taking on a new project this fall. A grant awarded through the Maine Department of Education (DOE) in partnership with Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) will enable the 501(c)3 nonprofit community health organization to expand awareness and access to high-quality Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) offerings in rural Washington County, Maine.
Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs) are hands-on, credit-bearing courses outside of the traditional classroom with an emphasis on community-based career exploration. ELOs are a unique mix of academic instruction and assignments, such as papers and presentations, and combine experiential learning components like project-based learning, internships, and job shadows. They are highly personalized opportunities for students to engage in learning in ways that make sense for them and connect their learning to everyday life in meaningful ways.
What sets ELO opportunities apart from traditional enrichment options (clubs, sports, etc.) is that they are designed as credit-bearing options. This unique requirement is geared toward increasing equity in our schools. ELOs require the support of local communities and are designed to highlight local expertise, expose students to career options in their communities, and offer real-life application of student learning.
Healthy Acadia’s Youth Engagement Coordinator Corrie Hunkler will lead a collaborative pilot which combines and expands existing Healthy Acadia summer youth employment and career exploration programs through Gateway to Opportunity (G2O) and DownEast Teen Leadership Camp (DETLC) – with regional promotion, coordination, and the creation of academic-year offerings and tailored ELO opportunities for students. The pilot focuses on high school youth in the coastal Washington County region and will seek to increase awareness of ELO opportunities and expand on existing partnerships with community based organizations (CBOs) and area high schools during the academic year.
For more information about this project please contact Corrie Hunkler, ELO & Youth Coordinator corrie.hunkler@healthyacadia.org or visit https://www.jmg.org/extended-learning-opportunities.
JMG is the only nonprofit in Maine offering a continuum of support to help students transition from middle school through high school graduation, onto post-secondary education through degree attainment and connections to successful career pathways. They collaborate with strategic partners and schools, tailoring their role to support individual curriculum, cultures, and offerings by filling voids and gaps that existing resources can't meet. They work together to support students so they can achieve their goals. Learn more at jmg.org.
Healthy Acadia is a 501(C)(3) community health organization building vibrant communities and making it easier for all people to lead healthy lives throughout Washington and Hancock counties. For more information about Healthy Acadia’s health and wellness programs and services, visit healthyacadia.org.
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