Senate Resolution No. 2946

BY: Senator DEFRANCISCO

CELEBRATING the 30th Anniversary of Hillside
Work-Scholarship Connection

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
honor those esteemed organizations within our midst whose work and civic
endeavors have enhanced the quality of life in their communities and the
great State of New York; and

WHEREAS, The character of life in Central New York has been ably
served and uniquely enriched for the past 30 years through the
dedication and benevolent concern of Hillside Work-Scholarship
Connection; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection;
and

WHEREAS, Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection is a
nationally-recognized youth development program that helps at-risk youth
stay in school and graduate from high school with the skills and
confidence necessary to enter college or the workforce; and

WHEREAS, Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection was created in 1987,
by Wegmans Food Markets; the program identifies students in grades 7-12
in the Buffalo City School District, Rochester City School District,
Syracuse City School District, and Prince George's County Public Schools
in Maryland, who are capable of success but are in danger of dropping
out of schools due to a variety of factors, including low socioeconomic
status and low standardized test scores; and

WHEREAS, Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection pairs these at-risk
students with a professional Youth Advocate through graduation and up
until two years after high school; these school-based Youth Advocates
serve as mentors and role models, working with a caseload of 30 students
at a time to address their individual needs and the challenges that may
impede their success; and

WHEREAS, Applying a case management approach, Youth Advocates with
Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection are on call 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, and partner with the students, their parents and guardians,
and other adults to benefit the student; Youth Advocates help to create
an Individual Graduation Plan with targeted goals to support high school
graduation, job placement, career planning, college advancement, and
other personal goals; and

WHEREAS, In addition to long-term mentoring from Youth Advocates,
Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection provides other services, including
weekly after-school enrichment activities, summer enrichment programs,
youth employment training, placement through the organization's Jobs
Institute, workplace mentoring at partner worksites, as well as
supplemental education services including supper programming, tutoring,
and access to other support services; and


WHEREAS, After-school and weekend enrichment activities include
career exploration, job-readiness, social and life skills, sports, arts,
recreation, and visits to college campuses; and

WHEREAS, The enrichment curriculum uses the Teen Outreach Program
(TOP), a school-based pregnancy, school suspensions, class failure, and
dropouts prevention program that has demonstrated positive impacts over
several decades in more than 400 schools nationwide; a key component of
the program requires students to complete 20 hours of community service
each year, in order to help them understand and appreciate their role in
shaping the future; and

WHEREAS, Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection prepares its students
for entry into the workforce through its Jobs Institute and Youth
Employment Training Academy (YETA), a 25-hour training module that helps
youth develop interviewing and entry-level job skills; and

WHEREAS, In the mid-1990s, Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection
became an affiliate of the Hillside Family of Agencies; Wegmans
continues as a key partner and philanthropic funder of Hillside
Work-Scholarship Connection; and

WHEREAS, Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection has existed in the
City of Syracuse for a decade, and has helped Syracuse students overcome
barriers to earning their high school diploma; the Syracuse program
graduated 217 students in 2017, and celebrated this accomplishment at a
ceremony on Thursday, May 11, 2017, at the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse;
and

WHEREAS, Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, in every capacity in
which it has served, has left a permanent mark on the Central New York
community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection;
and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
presented to Wayne O'Connor, Executive Director of Hillside
Work-Scholarship Connection Syracuse.