The Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation Funds ElevateEdAZ Expansion
The Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation has granted ElevateEdAZ, the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation’s strategic education initiative, funding to expand to two additional Maricopa County schools in the 2022-23 school year.
ElevateEdAZ prepares individuals for college and career through stronger alignment between education, business and the community. The program focuses on increasing the number of students enrolled in and completing high-wage, high-demand career pathways, increasing student attainment of industry-recognized credentials and early post-secondary credit, providing more students with work-based learning experiences and empowering educators to reimagine classroom learning through educator externships.
“By 2028, 70 percent of jobs in Arizona will require an education beyond a high school diploma,” said Tom Egan, executive director of the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation. “Arizona needs to provide more opportunities for high school students and by partnering with ElevateEdAZ, we hope to help. Their program is designed to help job seekers obtain the skills necessary to be college and career ready. We’re proud to be supporting ElevateEdAZ in their goal of ensuring alignment of education to workforce as Arizona students enter the job market.”
The funding will be used to embed one ElevateEdAZ College and Career Coach at each of the campuses, provide a YouScience aptitude and interest assessment to all students to help them determine their career path, fund career awareness events such as mock interviews and résumé-building workshops and provide incentives to students, teachers and schools to accelerate outcomes.
“We’re so appreciative of the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation and their commitment to education and developing the workforce in Arizona,” said Jennifer Mellor, chief innovation officer of Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation. “With their generous donation, we will be able to provide an additional 2,000-5,000 students with career exposure to high-wage, high-demand and high-skill occupations. They will also gain access to job shadowing and internship opportunities with local employers who, in addition to ElevateEdAZ College and Career Coaches, can provide tips on résumé writing, networking and different occupations available.”
