Teens learn work experience through summer co-op program

On Thursday August 27th the Akwesasne Area Management Board, Start Summer Cooperative Education Facilitator, Clarissa Jacobs thanked her twenty 20 students for their successful participation and accomplishments. Students were treated to a student luncheon held at the Kana:takon Recreation Centre, with Jacobs commenting on each students work performance. “Your hard work and participation in the program will open doors of future youth employment and educational success as you return back to school this fall.” Making sure students were prepared for their cooperative education job placements, Jacobs provided students with in-class sessions of workplace readiness, St. Johns Ambulance Emergency First Aid/CPR, Health & Safety Training and Proper Work Ethics.

Students were then placed with their employers, for the next six weeks students reported to their employers to gain summer work experience. Job placements consisted of students doing janitorial, retail sales, summer youth programs, childcare, secretarial, carpentry, and lawn maintenance. Every Friday students reported back to the Akwesasne Area Management Board Youth Resource Centre and Knead your Dough Conference Room, for in-class session assignments and final projects. Kawehno:ke students organized a community project, consisting of the Peacetree Trade Centre Clean –Up, a big thank you out to the following businesses, Purple Ribbon owner, Lucy Roundpoint for supplying the cleaning products and drinks, Knead your Dough owners, Monica Sharrow and Kelly Delormier for handing out ice-creams and cold drinks to our students. Kana:takon students decided to do a side road thrash pick up and headed over to the local swimming hole to tidy things up by the church parking lot. Thank you to MCA Employee, Mamie David for offering students bottled water on such a very hot afternoon. A thumbs up to newly Akwesasne Mohawk Police Constable, Justin Delormier and RCMP Community Liaison Officer, Cynthia Lord for coming out to spend the day in getting to know the youth. This year fifteen students took part in the Algonquin College Dream Quest Summer Trades Program, held on the Woodroofe Campus, from July 20th to 24th. Students took part in a variety of college programs adapted to their age levels and basic introductory to their registered programs.

Final class projects consisted of students working on typing out their job placement information, pictures placed on their project boards for in class presentations. With all students doing an excellent job with putting the final touches to their projects. “Great job guys and gals, I am very proud of all your accomplishments, stay focused as you return back to school this year,” Jacobs commented. Each student earned 220 hours to earn two credits, with a total of forty secondary school credits earned here in Akwesasne through the sponsorship of the Akwesasne Area Management Board and TR Leger School.

On behalf of the 2009 Start Summer Cooperative Education Program Staff and Students we would like to take this time to say niawen:kowa AAMB for providing us with this wonderful summer cooperative education program and to the following Employers for giving us a summer job placement: A’nowara’kowa Arena, Robert Mitchell and Pete Francis, Ronathahonni Cultural Centre, Gloria Thompson and Joanne Swamp, Match 22, Trevor Jocko, Akwesasne Boys & Girls Club, Aaron Terrance and staff, Tsi Snaihne Childcare Centre, Tracey Jacobs, Kawehno:ke Childcare Centre, Donna Ransom, Akwesasne Library & Museum, Gloria Cole and Greg Herne, Peacepipe Convenience, Marita Skidders, MCA Environment, Betty Nanticoke and Bob Stevenson, Tree Top Convenience, Renee Sunday, Sharon’s Pantry, Sharon Thompson, AMBE Maintenance, Kent Hamilton and Jerry Thompson, and MCA Tech. Services, Robert Pyke. The St. Johns Ambulance, Delaney Bus Lines, Indian Time and CKON Radio Station for giving our summer program the recognition. Thank you to the St. Regis Recreation, cooks Shirley and Verna, for the tasty Indian Taco’s and Carrot Cake for our student luncheon.