why our exposure experience program

• We need to expose them to a extensive world of people, places, and experiences so they develop an understanding of economy and develop key skills that can only be learned from real-world interactions.

• Part-time jobs, apprenticeships, summer jobs, internships, and job shadowing provide opportunities for youth to begin to grasp the new world of work and find their prospective place in it.

• This understanding will be essential in determining their post-secondary education pathway. Before making the huge investment of time and money pursuing a college degree, they can now determine if one is even necessary for their field of interest and when to pursue it.

• In addition to the obvious job-related advantages, these experiences expand the relationships students have with others in their community. Rather than solely comparing themselves to same-age peers, these multi-age interactions offer much-needed reference points for comparing themselves to the world around them.

• They quickly learn that they are more than their GPA, test score or college admissions potential–a critical perspective to improving their health and wellbeing.

• Additionally, these community-based relationships provide mentors and networking connections that could be the basis of future employment

• Becoming educated about the changing economy, understanding the uniqueness of each of our children and viewing time as a limited resource will help determine priorities.

• A new era is upon us and we have no time to lose. We need to prepare our children to enter this rapidly evolving world by expanding their perspectives.

• This will help them develop a keen sense of self, find areas of interest for future work and enhance their connectedness to a greater whole.

• We can no longer solely rely on schools to solve the challenges facing this generation, especially those related to workplace preparation. It is time to break down the school walls and broaden our children’s worlds.