At the January 10 meeting, the Penta Career Center received updates on the Aspire program and a recent FCCLA conference and competition in Alabama.
Ohio's Aspire programs provide free services for individuals who need assistance acquiring the skills to be successful in post-secondary education and training and employment.
Penta offers classes at flexible locations and times to meet the diverse needs of adult learners, explained Jessica Arbuckle, Aspire supervisor. Locations include the Wood County Library, six branches of the Toledo Public Library system, Perrysburg Heights, Riverside Elementary, ProMedica Ebeid Center, and Penta’s Osage campus.
They also offer classes at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio and Northwest Community Corrections, serving 118 students.
Student enrollment is currently 601, but Ms. Arbuckle projects mid-year enrollment to be 845 and noted Penta’s Aspire is one of the largest in the state. The program is funded by a $1 million grant.
She said educators are not just focused on academics, but working with a whole student approach, she said, adding, “We work with at-risk adults.”
The programs have worked out well at the corrections center where 38 students are on work release. “That program has been phenomenal for us,” she added.
The board also heard from Dova Zak, instructor and coordinator of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America.
She accompanied several students to Alabama for a conference and competition. “We were there for 42 hours and had a great time,” she said, and introduced several students whom she accompanied.
Junior culinary student Violet Lowe thanked the board for the experience, noting she was given the opportunity to lead a workshop. “This was by far my favorite conference,” Justin Savage-Brown, a senior culinary student, prepared vigorously for the competition. “I stayed up multiple nights, but it was worth the work,” he said, adding, he won a $23,000 scholarship.
Peyton Baumbarger, also a senior culinary student, did well in competition, taking home a $15,000 scholarship and earning first place in the culinary math conversion competition. “I’m really glad we got the chance to go,” he said, noting as an Ohio FCCLA officer, he had the opportunity to meet with other states’ officers. “We discussed teamwork and ways to overcome challenges.”
