Are you interested in getting your GED/TASC? Project Rise can help!
If you are interested and want to know more, fill out this quick survey, and a Project Rise staff member will get in contact with you. Recruitment for our next cohort is happening right now, so don’t hesitate. Your bright future is right around the corner!
Project Rise participants at Kingsborough
Project Rise has been recognized as a highly successful program that re-connects young adults to education and employment. At Kingsborough, we have had amazing success with overall outcomes, increasing the number of enrolled participants, number of GEDs earned and increased employment with each cohort. What is even more significant is hearing the unexpected personal achievements of our participants—achievements that are not tracked by numbers, but recognized and highly valued by program staff, counselors and participants.
Despite an unexpected family illness and severe financial impediments, L.B. from Cohort 1 stayed on track with the help of counselors. On top of earning his GED, L. also started a clothing line and opened his own business. His story returns full-circle with his business becoming an internship site for current/future Project Rise participants.
The New York State Board of Education decided on Wednesday that test takers who passed sub-tests of the 2002-2013 GED® can keep those scores and have them count towards the new TASC throughout 2014 and 2015. The Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC), created by CTB/McGraw Hill, will replace the GED® as the Common Core-aligned high school equivalency assessment in New York State. This is wonderful news for students who have worked hard to complete certain portions of the GED®, but were unable to complete the full series before the January 2014 deadline.
Facts about the TASC:
Read more about the TASC here
If you or someone you know is interested in receiving training for the TASC through Project Rise, contact us at 718.368.6600 or ProjectRise@kbcc.cuny.edu. Our next cohort starts in February, so reserve your spot today!
Kingsborough’s Project Rise participants, Brooklyn, NY
Since our November post about the new GED, I met with Project Rise’s Associate Director, Dina LiMandri, to discuss the steps being taken to prepare for the new series of tests. Through meetings at the Young Adult Institute and at CUNY Central, Project Rise instructors have been receiving training to ensure they have the most updated information. Continue reading
January 2014 will bring a new GED®. While receiving a GED® is success in and of itself, The American Council on Education realized the test, as it currently stands, does not go far enough in preparing takers for college admission and/or work requirements that follow. This new test will focus more heavily on the American Common Core Standards, which lay out exactly what students should master as they make their way through primary education. The ultimate goal is to set GED® recipients on a path towards higher education and more advanced employment opportunities.
We continually try to give our current participants, students, alumni, family and friends any information to help them meet their educational and professional goals. The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship program which “honors excellence by supporting outstanding community college students with financial need to transfer to and complete their bachelor’s degrees at the nation’s top four-year colleges and universities.” has a deadline that is fast approaching. To be eligible you must:
• Be a current student at an accredited US community college or 2-year institution with sophomore status or a recent graduate (within the last 5 years)
• Have a cumulative unweighted college GPA 3.5 or above
• Plan to transfer to a 4-year college or university to begin studies in the coming fall
• Demonstrate unmet financial need
If you meet these requirements, visit their online application page for more information. Applications are due Thursday, November 7th. This program is run through the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, so contact them with questions about this scholarship opportunity.
If you aren’t yet enrolled at Kingsborough, or another community college, the Center for Economic and Workforce Development has programs to help start your higher educational journey. If you need to get your GED and would like to develop important work readiness skills, Project Rise can help. If you already have your GED or high school diploma, CUNY CareerPATH can help with career advancement and transitioning into college. Both programs provide the ability to earn college credits while you train. Contact us with any questions about these or other opportunities.
MRDC just wrote a short piece about lessons from Project Rise.
Last week, CUNY CareerPATH administrators Dr. Babette Audant, Executive Director of CEWD, Ms. Alissa Levine, Director of Programs at CEWD and Ms. Ashley Dallman, CareerPATH Program Director, traveled to Milwaukee, WI for the National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE) conference. The three led a panel talking about CCP’s experiences using technology to develop tools that manage both the $19.8 million TAACCCT grant and 8-college career advancement and college readiness program. The programs highlighted during this panel include Ning, a social networking tool which provides both a community meeting place for consortia members and a secure location for housing key documents, and a Quality Assurance system, developed especially for CCP, which tracks and produces real-time reports informing program delivery.
In addition to this panel, Kingsborough’s Project Rise was nominated for the Exemplary Program award for Non-Credit Workforce Programs. Congratulations to the winners!
Just last month, Project Rise held a Finishing Ceremony for our third cohort of participants. The results of this cohort far exceeded the program’s expected outcomes:
13 participants earned their GED
9 completed internships (a whopping 180 hours, each)
10 earned jobs through Project Rise efforts
3 were accepted at Kingsborough Community College (taking credits with them!)
We’re accepting applications for Project Rise, Fall 2013!
Do you know someone between 18-24 who is not enrolled in school, not employed, resides in NYC and is looking for a comprehensive GED® or pre-GED® program? Project Rise can assist them in achieving their academic and employments goals. We are excited to offer this program to young adults and would appreciate your help spreading the word about what we do. Participants are eligible to receive:
Up to 5 college credits
Paid internships
Job placement assistance
Resume building assistance
Counseling services
College enrollment assistance
Full access to KCC facilities
Project Rise is located on Kingsborough Community College’s beautiful beachfront campus. Space is limited and classes begin in October, 2013, so contact us today. If you have any questions about the program, please contact us at 718.368.6600 or ProjectRise@kbcc.cuny.edu.
Kingsborough Community College
Project Rise, T7-115
2001 Oriental Blvd
Brooklyn, NY 11235