US Venture funds help establish program in Green Bay schools

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Every August, the U.S. Venture Open Golf Tournament and Banquet raises millions of dollars to fight the root causes of poverty in northeast Wisconsin, but this year, the event has been re-imagined into a media-thon.

The event has helped various groups, organizations, and businesses, including Green Bay Area Public Schools, where a new program was made possible from the funds.

Academic, college and career planning has long been the focus of career centers located inside Green Bay high schools.

“We are looking at the data from what’s happening in the high schools and seeing that it’s working, it’s a good model to now then implement in middle schools,” said Amy Fish, the Green Bay Area Public Schools Community Partnerships and Grants coordinator.

Thanks to a three year, $300,000 grant from U.S. Venture funds through the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, that’s about to happen.

“We’re so incredibly grateful to U.S. Venture and all the other organizations that donate to these kinds of programs because in the end it is a huge lift,” said Fish.

In partnership with UW-Green Bay and NWTC, the Green Bay Area Public School District is in the process of establishing career centers, called Turbo-Go Centers, in the libraries at three middle schools.

“The spaces we’re excited about, they’re really supposed to get students excited about what can happen after high school, so different colleges tat are out there, different career options, paths, it’s going to be a very vibrant, great space for students to go to,” said Fish.

As the district’s Coordinator of Community Partnerships and Grants, Fish says the Turbo-Go Centers will aim to engage students and their families.

“Kids, if they don’t see what their future is going to look like, maybe they’re not sure they have found a spark or a passion, but once they ignite that I really think you see a lot more engagement in academics, engagement in extra-curriculars and that in turn, we’re going to see closing the achievement gap in them and that’s really the goal of the program,” said Fish.

Fish adds the goal is to have the Turbo-Go Centers up and running by the time it is deemed safe for students to return to school.

The US Venture Media-thon is scheduled for Wednesday - click here for details on the event.

RELATED: PROGRAMMING NOTE: US Venture Open Media-thon August 12

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