Mission Statement

The mission of the Protégé Program is to introduce the students to an experience outside of the classroom that will enrich their education and provide them with critical career insights.

Program Description

The Protégé Program at St. Gregory the Great High School provides students with a unique experiential learning opportunity that is central to the SGHS mission. Students who participate in the Protégé Program gain practical, real-world experience and valuable exposure to resume writing, job applications, and interviews, the hiring and employment process, and workplace relations.

Participating students are required to take the Career Preparation class, in which they will explore career choices, job seeking skills, and job keeping skills. They will also develop an employment portfolio. Our Protégé Partners, the businesses who hire our students, often report that SGHS students are more prepared in interviews and better equipped for employment than many college graduates they hire.

After completion of the Career Preparation course, an early afternoon dismissal will allow the student to work approximately 15 hours a week. Students will periodically return to the classroom to discuss activities, successes, and/or challenges they experience in the workplace.

Students Receive

Credit towards graduation
Real life marketable skills
Exposure to different careers
A source of recommendations
That vital first job on their resume
Experience, confidence and self-esteem

Our Partners

While the school will secure student positions with partners in various fields, each student will literally walk through the formal appointment, interview, and hiring process. Our partners are Chicago community business owners who understand the importance and value of real-world work experience for our students, and have generously provided the opportunity for our students to gain that experience in preparation for their future.

Each of our partners has hired at least one student for an entry-level position and is instrumental in helping their student employees develop concrete job skills. Partners are responsible for completing a student profile survey with performance reviews, which is considered in students' final grades. Our partners benefit from energetic high school students who are excited to enter the work force and eager to learn.

Prerequisites

• Completion of Career Preparation class with a minimum 2.0 GPA
• Record of attendance and promptness record
• Recommendation of academic counselor and Career Planning class teacher

Program Guidelines

Attendance – Students must notify the employer if they are going to be late or out due to illness. They must ask about company policy and get all needed information the very first day on the job. They must also notify the school according to SGHS policy. Time may need to be made up and excessive tardies will affect your grade and may result in firing and failing. Students may be scheduled to work even on a day when school is not in session.

Contracts – There are mandatory agreements that must be signed by the student and parent/guardian as well as by the employer and the school. Copies of these agreements are kept on file and are available for view upon request.

Grades – 70% of each student's grade is derived from the employer's evaluation, which is based on on-the-job performance. The other 30% will be based on a journal, homework, and attendance at the few Protégé meetings scheduled over the course of the two stages.

Journal – The student should pick up a journal and begin using it immediately. They must write at least one sentence each day. It might be what they did that day, or what they learned or who they met. They should carry it at all times.

Meetings – Students will meet as a group during homeroom every other Monday. Attendance is mandatory.

Dress – Most protégés are able to wear their uniform to work. If they are out of uniform their dress must be more formal than their uniform. Shirts and ties are required for young men. Dress slacks and modest tops (NO LOW CUT OR BARE MIDRIFTS) are required for young women. Two infractions of this rule will revoke out-of-uniform privileges.


Duration and credits

The Protégé Program runs over an 18-week period; students work 15 hours per week for a total of 270 hours over two stages. Students in paid positions may work up to 20 hours without additional academic counselor approval. Each 18-week program is worth two full credits.

For More Information Please Contact:

Suzanne Q. Stone
Protégé Program Director
773-907-2126