HISTORY and MISSION
The mission of Promise Corps is to contribute to high quality schools by holding rigorous expectations of students, serving as role models, and collaborating powerfully with teachers, parents, and the wider community.
The Promise Corps program offers the first partnership in the nation between two Promise Zones to join together in services for youth in high poverty communities. These Zones, are two of only three urban areas selected in the first round of the Promise Zone signature Obama Administration initiative. The project will target key goals of the White House My Brother’s Keeper Initiative with a focus to ensure that local students graduate from high school ready for college and career, and work their way into the middle class. Bolstered by public-private partnerships, this AmeriCorps program will train and place College and Career Coaches (CCCs) with the highest need students at Promise Zone high schools to prepare them for postsecondary opportunities. In Philadelphia Promise Corps is currently hosted at West Philadelphia High School, High School of the Future, Paul Robeson High School and Sayre High School with the potential for additional sites in the upcoming school year.
OVERVIEW
The College and Career Coach will serve full time from August 2024 until June 2025 or August 2025, working closely with high school students and their families to ensure that they graduate with strong skill sets, and gain a clear understanding of different post-secondary options. This is an in-person position.
Promise Corps CCCs will work with students in grades 10-12 who have been identified as needing support. Each member will be assigned to a host school and will work with guidance counselors, teachers and school staff to develop both short and long term plans leading to graduation and post-secondary entry. Services begin with five introductory workshops for a baseline understanding of post-secondary options. From there, CCCs will conduct individual advising sessions with their students, throughout the school year, in order to develop a plan leading to post-secondary options.
BENEFITS
- $942 (pre-tax) biweekly stipend
- An education award of up to $7,395 (full-time, serve 12 months through August 2025) or $5,176.50 (full-time, serve 10 months through June 2025) to be used for college, trade school, or other educational expenses, including qualified federal loans. For more information, please visit www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps
- Eligible for student loan forbearance on federal student loans
- Free monthly trailpass to travel in and around Philadelphia at any time
- Health care & childcare support
- Schools of National Service tuition discounts at select colleges and graduate schools
- Preferential hiring with Employers of National Service and AmeriCorps Alumni Network
- Access to Americorps member emergency fund
- Monthly professional development trainings & connection to professional mentors
Responsibilities include:
Post-Secondary Planning and Support
- Support a caseload of 15-20 students to ensure each is working towards setting and completing goals towards their post-secondary exploration and planning
- Provide engaging small group workshops and 1:1 session to improve students’ knowledge of post-secondary options and requirements; topics included but not limited to: the college application process, the local workforce, financial aid, careers in STEM, introduction and implementation to an entrepreneurship lifestyle and work, etc.
- Maintain student information and records by tracking program outputs and outcomes into a database
- Recruit students to attend field trips and events related to local work sites and employers, colleges in and out of state and other relevant post-secondary enrichment opportunities
- Members will coach students around short and long-term academic goals by reviewing alongside students’ transcripts and report cards
- Work closely with partner teacher(s) and other school staff to identify the right supports for individual students
Qualifications:
Education, Experience and Eligibility
- Be at least 18 years of age and possess US Citizenship or Permanent Resident status
- Have some college experience
- Provide proof of Covid-19 vaccination
- Clear a National Criminal History Check, Pennsylvania Criminal History Check, Criminal History Check in your current state of residence (if different than Pennsylvania), and National Sex Offender Registry check (paid for by the program once accepted)
- Served less than 4 terms of any length in another AmeriCorps State or National Program
- Commit to serving a consistent schedule in school a minimum of 35 hours per week ($942 pre-tax bi-weekly stipend)
Beginning August 2024 through June 2025 or August 2025
QUESTIONS? Email: lfrazee@phennd.org