Janice Rand Vaughn
(617) 495-1326
On the same day that The Boston Globe published an article criticizing the educational opportunities at Dorchester High School, a group of juniors and seniors from that school were telling a different story as they participated in a unique all-day conference at the Kennedy School of Government to prepare them for careers in public service.
Students and staff from the Kennedy School of Government (KSG) hosted more than 60 students from Dorchester High School's Academy of Public Service on Friday, March 6.
The daylong conference, organized by the Black and Latino Caucuses and sponsored by the KSG Office of Community and Public Service, exposed the high school students to diverse public sector career tracks through the real-life experiences of the KSG students. Panel discussions covered career options in law and criminal justice, engineering and science, advocacy, government work, health care, fine arts, business and economic development, education, communication, and the media. The day ended with a spirited discussion of affirmative action in which students were asked to become members of a mock college admissions committee choosing among a diverse group of candidates for admission to the fictitious University of Dorchester.
The Academy of Public Service (APS) is a special program within Dorchester High School which provides industry-relevant curricula, teacher training, mentors, internships, and other enrichment experiences to help prepare Dorchester High students for careers in our nation's public service sector.
APS is a progressive partnership between public education and the public and nonprofit sectors within the Greater Boston metropolitan area, combining the resources and insights of business, government, community agencies, and higher education leaders. APS enjoys generous supporters, including Bell Atlantic and the Boston city government. The APS program boasts an impressive graduation and retention rate: last year, 97 percent of APS seniors graduated Ñ with 92 percent of graduating students attending some type of post-secondary education.
The conference presented a unique opportunity for Kennedy School students to connect with young people in the Boston community who share an interest in public service. The five-year partnership between the Kennedy School and Dorchester's APS program has grown out of a natural affinity between the two student bodies. Kennedy School students, with their rich experience in public service, act as role models to the high school students exploring careers in the public sector. Graduate students have the opportunity to interact with the "real world" and hear from the urban youth they are committed to serving. Of the many interactions between the two organizations, including one-to-one mentoring and classroom college prep workshops, the annual professional conference is the most significant.
"The past three weeks have been tough at Dorchester High," says APS teacher Paul Casilli. "We've really been looking forward to this conference; and every year it gets better. It's like magic watching these students interact."
The Academy of Public Service at Dorchester High School is always seeking people interested in being mentors to Academy students. For more information about the Academy Programs or about becoming a mentor, contact Janice Vaughn, KSG Office of Community and Public Service, at 495-1326 or Shannon Locsin, APS Mentor Coordinator, at 423-3755, ext. 228.