Group seeks to pair students, PARTNERS

By LESLIE DINABERG
South Coast Beacon

Money is great, but what a local group really wants is members who want to support the community’s kids, said Board Member Joe Howell at the Dec. 5 meeting of the Santa Barbara Partners in Education (PARTNERS).

Board President Dr. John Wiemann introduced the VIPs — including Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum, Carpinteria Mayor Dick Weinberg, Alexandra Wood from Assemblywoman Hannah Beth Jackson’s office and Jeremy Tittle from Congresswoman Lois Capps’ office — then, in rapid-fire format, invited the schools to tell the business community about their needs.

PARTNERS’ Job Shadowing Program is designed to give young students a up-close look at the world of work by having them work for a day at a place of their choice.

The time commitment is minimal, it doesn’t cost anything and it’s a “really valuable way to have them figure out what they want to do with their careers,” said Holly Eubank of the San Marcos High School (SMHS) Job Career Center. The desire for Job Shadow volunteers was echoed by all of the high schools.

The need for career education starts as early as elementary school. Cleveland School will hold its sixth annual career day on Jan. 30. “Those children need to have your passion for what they could become,” said Principal Mike Vail, who urged volunteers to call him at 963.8873.

Sue Dachenhaus from the Health Academy at SMHS said she would like doctors to volunteer in the wellness resource center.

Another project of PARTNERS is Computers for Families (www.sbcff.org). Now entering its seventh year, the organization has given out 4,000 computers to date, said Mike Mullin. “We could use help with donations of computers and cash,” he said.

“Not all things cost money,” said Adams School Principal Jo Ann Caines, but in case those attending had any to share, she urged donations to the Character Counts! Program, which “has made a huge impact for a lot of children.”

Also looking for some deep pockets are the students at Carpinteria Aliso Middle School, which is looking for sponsors to send 25 students to the JASON Project in Panama this spring. The cost per student is $1,800, said Kim Castagna, who found her first sponsor at the meeting when Cox Communications volunteered to fund one student’s trip. Donors can call Castagna at 684.4539.

Guest speakers are needed at the high schools, as are internship opportunities.

Students aren’t the only ones who want to spend time in the working world. PARTNERS is looking for people to sponsor teacher externships and pay for substitutes at a rate of $90 per day, said the director, Dr. Art Fisher.

New members can now join PARTNERS for free, Howell said.

The great thing about the organization is that it doesn’t differentiate; people with different levels of resources can contribute in different ways, Wiemann said. For information, visit www.sbceo.org/careers or call 964.4711 x4400.