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 of St. Gregory the Great High School provides students with a unique experience that is impossible to achieve in the classroom. From a hands-on practical perspective, the student will have the opportunity not only to learn about but also to participate in the resume, application, interview, hiring and employment process.

While the school will actually secure the positions in various fields, the students will literally walk through the appointment, interview and hiring process.

The students are required to take the Career Planning class that explores career
choices, teaches job seeking and job keeping skills and helps develop an employment portfolio. An early afternoon dismissal will allow the student to work approximately 15 hours a week. They will occasionally return to the classroom to discuss activities, successes and/or challenges experienced 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:

Our partners are the community business owners who have taken the challenge of helping our students receive hands-on practical experience in preparation for their future. Our partners have hired a student at an entry-level position and will be instrumental in providing concrete job skills. This apprenticeship type program provides our partners with energetic high school students who are excited to enter the work force and eager to learn. Our partners will be responsible for completing a student profile survey with reviews of their performance. The evaluation will be considered in their final grade.

Current Partners:

Prerequisites

• Completion of Career Planning 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 ill. They must ask about company policy and get needed information the very first day. They must also notify the school according to the regular 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, parent and school 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 the grade will be based on the evaluation that the employer gives the student based on 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 (1) sentence each day. It might be what they did that day, or what they learned or whom they met. They should carry it at all times.

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

Dress – Most protégés are able to wear their uniform to work. If they are out-of-uniform they must be more formal than their uniform. Shirts and ties for young men. Dress slacks and modest tops (NO LOW CUT OR BARE MIDRIFTS) for young women. Two (2) infractions of this rule will revoke out-of-uniform privileges.


Duration and credits

The Protégé Program runs over an 18-week period with a 15/hour week. The total hours for the (2) stage program is 270. Paid positions may work up to 20 hours without additional academic counselor approval. Each 18-week program is worth (2) full credits.

For More Information Contact:

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