NEWS December 2, 2013
ACE RECEIVES GRANT FROM EPISCOPAL CHARITIES FUND OF RHODE ISLAND $2,000 grant to help fund Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification program.
The Academy for Career Exploration (ACE) announced a $2,000 grant from the Episcopal Charities Fund of Rhode Island which will support two students in the school’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification program. “We are delighted and honored by this grant”, said Dr. Mario Cirillo, ACE’s Head of School. “Our organizations share the belief that we must care for the needs of those in our communities who thirst for education and a chance for a better life. That is exactly what our Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification programs do for our high school students whose future is linked to achieving and sustaining long term economic health.” ACE, a public charter high school in the heart of Providence, combines a skills-based academic curriculum with community service, work readiness training, employment, and internships for every student. Unlike other area high schools, ACE offers two career pathways for students: Healthcare & Science and Hospitality & Business Management. Both of these industries, according to labor and employment statistics, will provide opportunities for gainful employment well into the future. ACE’s pathway programs provide students with a variety of opportunities to explore careers in those fields and to acquire the nationally recognized certifications, knowledge, and skills necessary to succeed in their chosen paths. These types of career exploration and certification programs are especially critical for our school because of a student/parent population with very limited financial means that does not have access to the funding and resources needed to secure these opportunities ACE relies on strong community partnerships for operating support and program development— funding initiatives like professional certifications which provide Providence youth with the necessary skills to be educationally and occupationally ready for post-secondary education, training and/or gainful employment. Through its development outreach to local organizations such as the AndradeFaxon Charities for Children, Textron, and Amica, ACE plans to fund the certification program for the 19 students that have the qualifications and interest in pursuing the CNA or EMT certification program in February 2014.
About ACE The Academy for Career Exploration (ACE), Rhode Island’s first public charter school, was founded in 1994 to serve Providence students, grades 9th through12th. The overriding goal of the school is to provide our students with a rigorous academic program and significant opportunities for developing life and career skills leading to postsecondary education, training, and gainful employment. ACE consistently achieves attendance and graduation rates that exceed 93 percent and are among the best in the state.
130 Broadway, Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401.456.1738 xt 106
www.aceprovidence.com