“CHOICES” [1] 2002/03 Industry/Schools/Rotary AZ Partner= ship

“CHOICES”¹ - Arizona Industry/Schools/Rotary Partnership

A “QUALITY” 9^th Grade Rotary “Community Service” Opportunity!

Status 2-19-2006: 12,000+ Arizona Students Reached/Committed!

Durin= g the 2005-2006 academic year, Arizona Rotaria= ns continued an Industry/Schools/Rotary partnership to provide the “CHOICES” program – a one-hour per day, two day, structur= ed program - to over 12,000 9th grade students throughout Arizona. The Boeing and Intel Corporations, Bashas, Rotary District 5510, Bank of Ameri= ca (BofA), and the Rotary Clubs of Gilbert and Sun<= /st1:PlaceName> Lakes provided the funding for <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">East Valley Choices programs. Area industries, Rotary Clubs, and community volunteers entered classrooms bringing the real-world message: “Stay in schoo= l, take the tough courses, qualify yourself for the job you choose, not the jo= b to which you are academically limited.” Arizona industry demands quality educations for its better paying jobs! “CHOICES” stimulates t= he students to strive for excellence, take the right courses, and prepare for = the continuing educational challenges to remain competitive. The “CHOICES” program was briefed at the Rotary District 5510 yearly conference. As a result, Rota= rians through out the district led the commitment to Choices in their local areas= . Rotarians, industry personal, and volunteers provided in excess of 1,100 volunteer hou= rs training for and contributing to over 270 classes for 8,000+ East Valley students. Additionally over 4,000 students have been or will be offered “CHOICES” by the Show Low and Superstitution Moun= tain Rotary and other Clubs.

Rotarians - Volunteering - CHOICES”<= /span>

Rotarians are leaders who know the value of a quality education. Each Rotarian brin= gs real-world education awareness and associated employment background into the classroom, not as a parent or teacher, but as an individual who cares for e= ach and every student! Rotarians = are individuals who want the 9^th grade students who are just starting their key high school years of education to realize their value, and= how they form the basis for the student’s subsequent 40-60 years of employment. Staff and student evaluations have generally been very positive². The “CHOICES” message compliments the “on-going” school career counseling programs an= d is a Win-Win-Win for the students, schools, and the presenters. Refer to "CHOICES" Web Pages; The National Choices Web Page¹: www.choices.= org for a GENERAL Choices Overview, ba= ckground, contacts, brochures, licenses, objectives, program content, etc., and the Sun = Lakes Rotary Club Choices Web Page²: www.sunlakesotary.org/choices/= choices.html for Evaluations, Costs, and a variety of related specifics.

Efforts are well underway to expand Rotary initiated “= CHOICES” offerings throughout Arizona<= /st1:State>. “CHOICES” was designat= ed as a Tri-District (5490/5500/5510) statewide activity for Rotary year 2004-05. T= he initial Phoenix area Choices presentation was held winter 2004 at Cesar Chavez HS. This was followed by a BofA commitment to fund and staff Choices at Cesar Chavez HS February 16, 2006. This was a breakthrough as BofA verbally committed to continue funding and staffing Cesar Chavez HS for subsequent years. Several other area clubs have been briefed and are considering “CHOICES”= ;. As in previous years, the Sun Lakes RC, Boeing, a= nd Intel will provide training and guidance in initiating “CHOICES” for new areas as requested. <= /span>

Rotarians are encouraged to investigate “CHOICES”= ; as one of their club’s “Community Service” K-12 activities. "CHOICES" program and licensing costs are available from Tiffany Markey, Marketing Director - Western States.1 Widespread = Arizona school “CHOICES” offerings will enhance the on-going school car= eer planning and go a long way to insure Arizona students are indeed qualified for Arizona jobs!

Hal Wochholz, “CHOICES” Lead - Sun Lakes Rotary Club: 480 895-6705 - hwoch@wbhsi.= net

1)&n= bsp; Choices National Organization www.choices.org

2) www.sunlakesotar= y.org/choices/choices.html

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