KRA believes that all In-School Youth Employability & Success (YES) program participants are “stars” with their own unique abilities, skills, and talents. However, once in awhile an alpha-star emerges that has to be acknowledged and, in this case, publicly congratulated. “Ms. W” is a shining example of what dedication, focus, and perseverance…paired with professional assistance and guidance through the YES program…can achieve. A senior at I.C. Norcom High School, she will be graduating in June with a 3.6 GPA and an advanced diploma. “Ms. W” has been accepted by Bridgewater College, Lynchburg College, Christopher Newport University (CNU), Johnson C. Smith University, Norfolk State University (NSU), Winston-Salem State University…and Tidewater Community College’s “First College” program where she is pursuing 14 college credits prior to entering school in the Fall. Career Agent and KRA Team Lead, Alicia R. Shaw, counseled “Ms. W” on which schools to make application based on her own personal criteria: she wanted a school with smaller class sizes and easy-to-navigate campuses; did not want to travel too far from home; and did not want to attend a school where “everyone else” was going; she wanted to be “unique.” Ms. Shaw also enrolled “Ms. W” in a YES Interviewing Techniques class, which she obviously put to good use in her interactions with CNU and NSU admissions’ personnel. Also, Ms. Shaw arranged for her to visit the local “Dress for Success” program, a long-time KRA community partner, where she was able to choose clothes suitable for her interviews. She has not chosen her school yet…though CNU, Longwood, and NSU are on her “short” list…but is confident of her choice to major in Social Work. KRA wishes her well and knows that we have not heard the last of “Ms. W.”
Dr. Boone’s 20+ years’ experience in the industry is extensive and her expertise in private-, public-, and non-profit sector workforce-services organizations is unparalleled, particularly in the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan area.
