John Muir’s Engineering and Environmental Science Academy’s Advisory Board hosted a special evening celebrating their business partners at Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The event was also presented to recruit potential new business partners and advisory board members for the academy. Annie Richardson, EESA Advisory Board member and Jet Propulsion Laboratory employee organized a reception and tour of the campus.
Amy Foell, workforce development director for the Pasadena Chamber helped recruit potential business partners for the event and presented those in attendance with information and materials to encourage them to volunteer to support the students.
The group observed the clean room where engineers are building the Mars 2020 rover and a control room where the center satellite communicates with satellites orbiting the Earth.
A highlight of the evening was a showcase of student work from the academy at John Muir. Students from each grade level in the academy displayed their projects and shared the benefits of having engineers and scientists involved with their program.
"Interacting with, and getting advice and support from, business partners helps the students understand tha application of what they are learning in the classroom," said Pasadena Chamber Workforce Development Director Amy Foell. "The business partners benefit by seeing their work through the perspective of a young person, being of service to our future engineers as well as providing insights to those considering an engineering career.”
Ms. Foell organizes advisory committees for a number of academies in the Pasadena Unified School District. If you are interested in joining an advisory board, coaching students on projects or hosting an intern please reach out to Amy Foell, Workforce Development Director at the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce. amy@pasadena-chamber.org or 626-795-3355.
Upcoming events with the Engineering & Environmental Science Academy are:
April 5 Summer 2018 Internship Applicant Interviews: 4:00 to 6:00PM JMHS Library
April 10 Engineering and Environmental Science Academy Advisory Board Meeting
May 8 EESA Advisory Board Meeting: 3:30 to 5:30 PM JMHS A105
May TBD Mid-month - Senior Project Review Competition: Time TBD, JMHS Library
May 21 Medallion Awards Dinner: 6:00 to 8:00PM JMHS Library
May 18-20 Solar Cup Race: Temecula, CA
Supporting the Engineering and Environmental Science Academy at john Muir High School in PUSD is one of many work-based learning initiatives undertaken by the Pasadena Chamber with our community partners. Those efforts include summer intern placements, job shadowing for high school students in other college and career academies, classroom speakers from the business community and mentoring. If you would like to volunteer your time, host and intern, be a job shadow location or mentor a local student, visit: http://www.pasadenayouthworks.org/host/signup and fill out the brief volunteer form.
You can support the Chamber's work-based learning and workforce development activities by donating to the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Any donation is 100% tax deductible and will go directly to supporting our work with students in our local public schools. To donate visit: http://www.pasadenayouthworks.org/host/donate.
The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association is a business service member organization that works to ensure the prosperity of its members through a variety of offerings including referrals, networking, workshops and seminars, events and much more. The Chamber serves 1450 member companies.