FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2008
LADWP and LAUSD Honor Youth Service Academy Graduates
Program Helps Prepare At-Risk Students for the Workforce
WHAT:
Youth Service Academy graduation ceremony honors 12 students that have successfully completed the program
WHO:
The Honorable Mónica Garcia, President, Los Angeles City Board of Education
The Honorable Tony Cardenas, Los Angeles City Councilmember, 6th District
Larry Frank, Los Angeles City Deputy Mayor, Neighborhood and Community Services
Forescee Hogan-Rowles, Member, Board of Water and Power Commissioners
H. David Nahai, CEO and General Manager, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Isabel Vazquez, Director of Career Technical Education, Los Angeles Unified School District
WHEN:
Friday, June 20, 2008, at 2 p.m.
WHERE:
LADWP Headquarters, 111 N. Hope St, A-Level, Cafeteria Conference Center, Downtown
The Youth Service Academy (YSA) is a successful partnership between the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) that began in 1990. More than 2,500 students have successfully completed the program. It offers at-risk students the opportunity to earn high school credits towards graduation and provides valuable paid work experience and training to help them develop employable skills. The program also assists the City government workforce development efforts by providing candidates with experience who can apply for job openings within the civil service process and in the general community. YSA has motivated 75% of the Academy graduates to enter post-secondary eduation or continuing vocational education. A Department of Labor study in the 1990s indicated that YSA participants are five times more likely to continue in school or obtain jobs compared to the general at-risk population. Currently there are 44 students enrolled in the program serving throughout LADWP as well as in City Council offices and the Mayor's Office.
Walter Zeisl
LADWP Public Affairs
voice: (213) 367-1342
voice: (213) 923-6468
Walter.Zeisl@ladwp.com
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