Berks Business Education Coalition

FORM 990-EZ, PART III, PRIMARY EXEMPT PURPOSE: TO COORDINATE THE RESOURCES OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY, TOWARD SELECTIVE INITIATIVES WHICH WILL IMPROVE THE COMPETENCIES OF STUDENTS AND ASPIRATIONS FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION.FORM 990-EZ, PART III, LINE 28, PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:HIGHER EDUCATION CAMPUS VISITSOVER THE COURSE OF 17 YEARS, 2003-2020, MORE THAN 34,000 STUDENTS FROM EACH OF THE 18 BERKS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE VISITED ON THE CAMPUSES OF THE FIVE (5) BERKS COUNTY BASED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES FOR WHAT FOR MOST WAS THEIR FIRST TIME SETTING FOOT ON A HIGHER EDUCATION CAMPUS. DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC, THE PROGRAM WAS TRUNCATED IN 2020 AND NOT HELD IN 2021 BUT RESUMES IN THE SPRING, 2022.INSIDE BERKS BUSINESSFOR 20 YEARS THE INSIDE BERKS BUSINESS PROGRAM HAS BROUGHT EDUCATORS INTO THE WORKPLACE EACH SUMMER TO EXPERIENCE FIRST-HAND THE RANGE OF BUSINESSES IN BERKS COUNTY AND THE CAREER AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WORKPLACE. THE EDUCATORS PARTICIPATE IN THEIR ROLE AS EVERY EDUCATOR A RESOURCE FOR CAREER INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS. SEVENTEEN (17) EDUCATORS SPENT ONE DAY EACH AT THREE (3) OF 11 PARTICIPATING FOR-PROFIT AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT ENTERPRISES, AUGUST 3-5, 2022.STUDENTS INTERACTING WITH BUSINESSSINCE 2013, MORE THAN 27,000 NINTH GRADE STUDENTS AND 1,130 TEACHER CHAPERONES HAVE VISITED PARTICIPATING BERKS COUNTY BUSINESSES FOR A "BOOTS ON THE GROUND" EXPERIENCE TO LEARN FIRST-HAND ABOUT A BUSINESS, CAREER AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE SOFT SKILLS THAT EMPLOYERS VALUE IN A GOOD EMPLOYEE. AS ELSEWHERE, COVID CONTINUED TO CAST ITS SHADOW IN 2021. NONETHELESS, SEVEN (7) SCHOOLS AND 14 BUSINESSES PARTICIPATED THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 1-4.HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIPSTHE BERKS BUSINESS EDUCATION COALITION IS A STRONG CHAMPION FOR HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS. IN 2021, SIXTEEN (16) OF THE 18 BERKS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS INCLUDED INTERNSHIPS AS PART OF THEIR SENIOR (AND SOMETIMES JUNIOR) YEAR CURRICULUM. THE PROGRAMS HAVE GROWN MARKEDLY IN THE DIVERSITY AND BREADTH OF THE PROGRAMS, ALL OF WHICH RECOGNIZE FOR CREDIT STUDENT PLACEMENTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OR WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE STUDENTS EXPLORE POSSIBLE CAREER DIRECTION AND GAIN VALUABLE ADULT-LIKE SKILLS BEFORE GRADUATION. THE 2020/2021 SCHOOL YEAR, 533 STUDENTS, REPRESENTING 11.4% OF THE SENIOR YEAR COHORT WERE ENGAGED IN INTERNSHIPS. THE FIRST SEMESTER, 2021/2022 SCHOOL YEAR, 590 STUDENTS REPRESENTING 12.8% OF THE GRADE COHORT WERE SO ENGAGED. THE DATA FOR BOTH YEARS IS REMARKABLE, GIVEN THE CONTINUING EFFECTS OF COVID ON EDUCATION ACROSS ALL LEVELS OF SCHOOLS AND SOCIETY.