BY MATT LINDSEY

North Country This Week

Four St. Lawrence County schools were chosen for the newly launched North Country Brilliant Pathways program, which is a college and career-readiness nonprofit.

CFES Brilliant Pathways, based in Essex, Vermont, chose 20 rural schools in Northern New York and Vermont, out of a pool of 72 schools that applied for the program. 

The following St. Lawrence County schools were chosen: Hermon-DeKalb Central School in DeKalb Junction, JW Leary Junior High School in Massena, Norwood-Norfolk High School in Norwood and St. Lawrence Central Elementary School in Brasher Falls.

The initiative, which has a value of $1.5 million, will provide schools with a multi-faceted, comprehensive college readiness program aimed at putting more students on a path to college. Currently, a lower percentage of rural students attend college compared with their urban and suburban counterparts, and they drop out at far higher rates. 

Norwood-Norfolk

“We're very excited to be included in this competitive program,” said NNCS Superintendent Jamie Cruikshank. “I am hopeful that it will be a game changer and provide opportunities for our children.” 

Cruikshank said school officials are always searching for ways to improve services and programming for students.

“The Brilliant Pathways Program appeared to be supportive of our existing initiatives to provide college and career readiness, so we engaged in their selective process,” he said. “It will provide an enhanced opportunity for our students to explore careers beyond what they are currently familiar with.  As the dynamics of industry change, our student skill-set needs to adapt and this program will allow for additional resources and networks to explore.”

“As we get further into this process, we'll continue to learn all that CFES can offer,” Cruikshank said.

Hermon-DeKalb

“College and career readiness is not a stand-alone program and needs to be integrated into students' courses throughout their high school career,” said Hermon-DeKalb Central Superintendent Mark White. “Often we hear from students in their senior year that they do not know what they want to do as a career or they don't know what to do when they get to college.”

By partnering with CFES, White says his district will begin to introduce career options at an earlier age in more depth and teach students essential skills to help them be successful in college or in the workforce.

“In small rural schools, teachers and counselors wear many different hats and by partnering with CFES we will be able to have more opportunities for our students to explore their options and find the best fit for them,” White said. “This program also will offer our staff training on how to be a mentor for students, what careers and opportunities are available for students, and help practice the essential skills in everyday classes.”

North Country Brilliant Pathways will provide a staff member to work alongside school staff for the duration of the partnership.  The staff member will provide training to our staff in essential skills we all need to be working on with students while they are in high school to prepare them for when they leave high school. 

Students will also be provided with activities to build their social character, practice teamwork, and visit colleges outside of the North Country. 

“Our school will also be partnered with an urban school to allow our students to experience what urban settings are like and also provide the students in the urban school an idea of rural north country schools,” White said. 

White said officials and staff in his district are “very excited” about the partnership with North Country Brilliant Pathways. 

“We look forward to the opportunities and experiences our students will be part of through this partnership,” he said

Brasher Falls

Brasher Falls Central School District Superintendent Chris Rose said he was awaiting final confirmation of which of the district’s schools were selected.

He said the elementary, middle and high school all applied individually.

“I have not yet heard if all three were selected or not,” he said.

Massena

“In researching the Brilliant Pathways program and the work that CFES has done with similar schools in post-industrial towns in the North Country in combination with the Massena School District and JW Leary strategic plan, the district was interested in pursuing the opportunity,” MCS Superintendent Patrick Brady said.

Brady said CFES would help solidify the strategic plan focus with a research-based framework centered around pathways to college and career, mentoring, and essential skills.

“Through the integration of connections at the local, regional and national level the work can connect to all children at JW Leary,” he said.

It is also believed that the program will serve to help build the skills of children with the challenges that occur when junior high school children transition into high school.

“The focus within this program will be helping the children to build a vision on potential careers and a pathway for navigating the high school so that they can achieve their vision,” Brady said.

It is envisioned that the program will provide support for the development of college and career readiness plans developed through a scholar map and instruction around opportunities for career.

“The work may include visits and tours to businesses and colleges through job shadowing, site visits, career professionals and the Brilliant Pathways career lab,” the super said. “In addition, mentor training and specific collaboration with corporate partners are proposed to help children build essential skills such as future extracurricular activity and career planning along with soft skills of communicating, presence, and writing.”

Brady said school officials are excited for this partnership and potential opportunities to further support the development of children in their career and college progression.

“Involvement in the program will provide a cohesive and consistent framework for carrying out this work to meet the district and school goals,” he said.

Program goal

“Too many rural young people lack the skills and education to take on today’s high-wage jobs, and they are being left out of the 21st century economy as a result,” said Rick Dalton, president & CEO of CFES Brilliant Pathways. “The goal of this program is to level the playing field for a large group of rural students and ultimately rural communities.”

Former New York Governor George Pataki, who serves on the North Country Brilliant Pathways board, said “it’s gratifying to see so many schools apply for the North Country program.” 

“It shows not only that there is a real need, but also that schools have confidence in CFES to deliver a program that will help students widen their horizons and achieve their goals.”