Again this summer a group of students working toward extra school credits leading to graduation worked on a project in Becker with funding by Central MN Jobs and Training Services through a grant written by program instructor Michelle Kocak Jones.  A number of these same students worked on a project at Becker High School last summer, landscaping and planting flowers and trees in an open courtyard area inside the school.

 

This year, BHS partnered with the City of Becker and the Becker Community Center on a program that included beautification of city parks and other sites through planting, landscaping, general grounds maintenance and overgrowth trimming of trees and shrubs, in particular at the BCC.

 

The program included 10 students between the ages of 17 and 20 who were eligible to earn one-half school credit and a salary for completing the 60 hour, 12-day program, and can be considered for other regular school year program involving career assessments and paid and non-paid work experiences.  Program staff will also provide references for recent graduates regarding performance standards.

 

The job coach this year was Trista Kleinsteuber, and the students taking part in the program included Riley Defries, Aracely Klinker, Brianna Gorman, Noelle Swanson, Katerina Berglund, Tucker Gasperlin, Danny White, Dan Zimmerman and Lorenzo Pingue.

 

Students received five hours per working day of employment skill training and academic instruction, with the City of Becker and the BCC providing supplies and materials while BHS provided academic and vocational instruction.

 

The total proposal including student wages and in-kind expenses cost $18,367.44, and it provided the city with 648 hours of labor from the 10 students and two staff members over the course of the program, said Jones.

 

The results included some very well-executed landscaping work at the BCC, including flower beds, landscaping and some overdue trimming of hedges and shrubs around the exterior of the facility.