Latest news with #PathwaystoSuccess
Los Angeles Times
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Los Angeles Times
Once lagging in school, Huntington Beach teen welds together a solid future
Cameron Rauch didn't worry about homework, because the Huntington Beach teenager was rarely ever home. 'From the end of eighth grade to the start of my junior year, it was either school or work or I was out on a bike with friends,' Cameron said. 'I fell really behind in school. I played around a lot my freshman year.' His life has not been easy to this point. His parents split up when he was entering middle school, both moving from Los Alamitos to opposite sides of Huntington Beach to co-parent. Then the coronavirus pandemic hit. Cameron would log onto Zoom classes, turn his camera off and go play video games. He moved across town with his father Eric before his mother Shelly, who he called one of the nicest people he'd ever met, started drinking heavily. She overdosed on pills she was taking for mental issues. 'She pretty much put a letter on the kitchen counter that said, 'Sorry for everything that I caused, I think this is going to be better for you guys,'' Cameron said. His half-sister Taylor, a decade older, tried to help Cameron, but school at Edison High wasn't his bag. He worked part-time as a mechanic and got into dirt bikes, buying them cheap, fixing them up and turning a profit. Another passion quickly began to emerge. 'My dad told me I wasn't going to be welding until I was out of high school, and I said, 'Watch me.' That same week, I sold a dirt bike that had been sitting in the garage and I went and bought a welder off Amazon,' he recalled. 'Me and one of my buddies split it 50-50, and we built a whole exhaust and bumper for his truck at the time with zero experience. We went and bought a bunch of stuff, and built like the crappiest exhaust setup and bumper that you probably will ever see. It rusted and crumbled in like six months.' Cameron moved from Edison to Valley Vista High, a continuation school in the Huntington Beach Union High School District, so he could make up credits. Meanwhile, his aunt called Laura Costelloe, the welding program adviser at Urban Workshop in Costa Mesa. She told Costelloe that Cameron loved welding, and some of the challenges he had been dealing with. Costelloe thought Cameron would be a perfect fit for the Department. of Rehabilitation Pathways to Success Project, a state initiative that provides financial assistance for high-wage, high-skilled occupations. 'They actually did not approve him in the beginning because of his age, because he's a minor,' Costelloe said. But she kept working. She made contact with Breana Davis, a transition coordinator for the school district. The district has a program called the Transition Partnership Program, which is also run through the Department of Rehabilitation. 'The goal there is to help him figure out what he wants to do career-wise,' Costelloe said. 'Breana and I decided my program would be a better fit for him, because he already knew what he wanted to do.' She went back to Jami Pazmino, the advanced manufacturing counselor for the Pathways to Success project, who ultimately gave Cameron another look and fast-tracked his application. Cameron will receive about $14,000 worth of welding training at Urban Workshop, and his protective gear is also covered. Chris Lynch, Urban Workshop welding instructor, said Cameron has only been to a couple of sessions so far, but he sees the potential. He added that becoming certified at an early age has benefits, because a welder's card states how long someone has been a certified welder. 'These are the kind of people I want to help,' Lynch said. 'I didn't have parents growing up, either. I was a … knucklehead, I was in jail by the time I was 13 years old. That lifestyle for me, I liked it, I enjoyed it. What welding did for me was help me get away from it. So if this is something that helps you get away from it, I'm more than willing to help you.' Cameron appears to be on the right track. Danielle Hackworth, Pathways to Success program manager, said that Urban Workshop has been instrumental in helping participants pursue careers in advanced manufacturing and construction. 'By being dual enrolled with his high school and Urban Workshop, Cameron is earning both his diploma and certifications from the American Welding Society (AWS) and the city of Los Angeles Welding Program,' Hackworth said in an email. 'These credentials are equipping Cameron with the skills and real-world experience needed to enter the workforce directly after high school in a high-demand field — paving the way toward a successful and sustainable career.' Cameron, who turns 17 later this month, works at a tire shop in Huntington Beach and has a girlfriend. He said he enjoys modifying his truck, a Ford Ranger that is several years older than he is. He is moving back to Edison in the fall for his senior year, and he knows his father will be proud to see him walk across that stage to collect his diploma next June. Valley Vista Principal Stacy Robison said Cameron is a great kid with a great attitude. He was able to earn 25 credits a quarter during his time there — 'but you have to do the work,' Robison said. 'We're really going to miss him a lot, but I'm so stoked for him that he'll be able to be at Edison and graduate from Edison,' she said. Things are looking up for Cameron, who appears to have welded together a solid future. 'Once I had some experience welding at home alone, I realized not only how fun it is, but how relieving it is for me,' he said. 'I was never really home a lot, but once I started welding at home, I could sit there for hours and not even look at my phone.' Costelloe, who calls herself the den mother, still checks in on Cameron often. What she tells him is simple — 'Make good choices.' Her hope is that he can go through the aerospace program, which would mean that he would have about eight certifications when he graduates high school. 'Everyone I introduce Cameron to realizes that he's absolutely worth the time and the investment,' she said. 'He's so motivated, and he's going to do great things.'
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kids in Tech Announces Second Annual "Pathways to Success" Dinner & Awards
STEAM Nonprofit Celebrating Community Changemakers and Empowering Children with STEAM Opportunities LOWELL, Mass., May 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kids in Tech is excited to announce its second annual "Pathways to Success" Dinner & Awards. This event will take place on Thursday, May 8, 2025, starting at 6:00 pm, at Garage B Events at The Speedway in Boston. "The 'Pathways to Success' event represents our commitment to bridging the opportunity gap in technology education," said Ryan Callahan, Board Chair of Kids in Tech. "By bringing together our community of supporters, we're not just celebrating achievements—we're investing in the future workforce and ensuring every child has access to the skills they need to thrive in tomorrow's economy." This special evening will celebrate the partners, educators, and community leaders who have played a vital role in advancing Kids in Tech's mission to excite, educate, and empower children across Massachusetts to embrace science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) concepts. This year, awards will be presented to Frederic T. Greenhalge Elementary School of Lowell, Life Science Cares, and Collegium Pharmaceuticals. Through collaborations throughout the community, Kids in Tech is making significant strides toward ensuring more children are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge for future opportunities in the rapidly growing STEAM industry. Key Highlights of the Event: Awards Ceremony: Honoring outstanding students, educators, and community advocates. Guest Speakers: Inspirational addresses from STEAM leaders. Silent Auction & Paddle-Raising: Bid on unique experiences and items with proceeds benefiting Kids in Tech programming. Networking Opportunities: Connect with corporate leaders, educators, and philanthropists. "We're thrilled to celebrate the incredible impact our partners and students have made this past year," said Olu Ibrahim, Founder and Executive Director of Kids in Tech. "This event not only recognizes their achievements but also helps us continue expanding our reach to empower more young minds with essential tech skills." The Inaugural Pathways to Success Dinner & Awards welcomed attendees from a variety of industries and helped to raise more than $50,000 to support Kids in Tech programming. Building on that success, Kids in Tech is anticipating an even bigger turnout this year and looks forward to welcoming corporate sponsors, community leaders, and program participants. With over 8,945 youth impacted since its founding in 2016, Kids in Tech is on track to reach an ambitious milestone - serving 10,000 kids annually by the end of 2028. Funds raised from their "Pathways to Success" Dinner & Awards will directly support the expansion of the organization's After-School Tech Clubs, their flagship program which provides free STEAM education to youth, age 8-14. Tickets for the "Pathways to Success" Dinner & Awards are available now and the RSVP deadline is April 24, 2025. To purchase tickets or explore sponsorship opportunities, visit: About Kids in Tech: Founded in 2016, Kids in Tech is a non-profit organization that strives to excite, educate, and empower children to acquire skills and confidence in STEAM through free, hands-on after school programs. Kids in Tech's After-School Tech Clubs provides coding, robotics, and additional technology opportunities to students in Lowell, Somerville, and Boston right in their schools with professional educators and skilled volunteers. You can learn more at: Follow Kids in Tech on:LinkedIn: Note: This event will follow all current health and safety guidelines. Any specific protocols will be communicated to attendees before the event. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Kids in Tech, Inc.
