Groundhog Job Shadowing Time Nears

Job shadowing is an academically motivating educational activity dedicated to giving kids an up-close look at the world of work. Kicking off January 31, 2003, and continuing throughout the school year, Groundhog Job Shadow Day gives more than a million students across America the opportunity to “shadow” a workplace mentor as he or she goes through a normal day on the job. This experience provides young people a chance to see how the skills learned in school relate to the workplace. Five hundred Broward County students took part in this exercise last year. One hundred and fifteen area businesses opened their doors to make this opportunity possible. Nationwide, more than one million students and 100,000 businesses are expected to take part in the 2003 program. Just a few short hours are all it may take to open a window into this world for our young people. Job shadowing can begin to provide them with the knowledge and skills they will need to achieve their dreams. Groundhog Job Shadow Day can provide experiences that are as unique as every person who participates. For the student who’s never understood the point of school, Groundhog Job Shadow Day can show how education can be translated into a rewarding and financially secure future. For the teacher looking for new ways to motivate students, it can provide a fun and unusual hands-on experience that demonstrates the link between schoolwork and “real life,” answering the age-old question, “Why do I have to learn this?” For those in the workplace, Groundhog Job Shadow Day can help forge personally satisfying connections with young people that could ultimately contribute to building a more prepared and focused workforce for tomorrow.

• Groundhog Job Shadow Day and the Groundhog Job Shadow Initiative are dedicated to engaging students in the world of work in order to:

• Demonstrate the connection between academics and careers, exciting students to learn by making their class work more relevant

• Build community partnerships between schools and businesses that enhance the educational experience of all students
• Introduce students to the requirements of professions and industries to help them prepare to join the workforce of the 21st century

• Encourage an ongoing relationship between young people and caring adults

• Encourage that students in need of additional services or programs are linked to other appropriate services/organizations/agencies

The School Board of Broward County has participated in this event since its inception six years ago. The School-to-Career Department is looking forward to working with all area schools as it launches this community’s young people toward college, careers and beyond. For more information about Groundhog Job Shadow Day, please contact Deborah Wells at (954) 765-6165.

Hoops Take Center Stage

The Chicago Bulls tried and couldn’t do it. Now it’s time for the South Broward girls and Dillard High boys varsity basketball teams to attempt to do what Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen failed to accomplish - a “4” peat. Believe it or not, the best boys and girls basketball teams in the state of Florida are right here in Broward County.

Darryl Burrows, Head Coach for Dillard High, has amassed a 225-58 career record. Under Burrows, Dillard won its first state championship title in 2000. He has built Dillard’s valuable tradition of excellence through repeat titles in 2001 and 2002. Darryl Burrows is a former BCAA Coach of the Year and a product of the Broward County School system. He played his high school ball at Piper High under Hall of Fame Coach and mentor Butch Ingram. The Panthers are led by three-year starter Jimmy Tobias, a 6’4" senior. Tobias has grown into one of the strongest all-around players in Broward County. Tobias can score, averaging 17 points per game last season and his defense is just as solid.

Abbey Ward has built a basketball dynasty at South Broward High. Ward has accumulated a 267-51 record in her 11 years at South Broward and has won four state titles in the past five years. The Bulldogs have clearly been the dominant team in Broward and the state of Florida. Abbey, a former BCAA Coach of the Year, has surrounded herself with outstanding athletes including Tocarra Williams (Texas A&M), Tamara James (University of Miami) and Tekisha Warner. The Bulldogs are recognized for their outstanding full court defense. Clearly, the Bulldogs have every reason to believe a “4” peat is within their grasp.

The Bulldogs have a talented squad this year. The University of Central Florida has signed two Bulldogs to full-ride scholarships: 6-foot forward/center Keunta Miles and 5-5 guard Lashaunda Slade. Lamese James, a 6-1 forward/center, will join last year’s State Player of the Year, Tamara James, at the University of Miami. Florida International University signed Laquetta Ferguson, a 5-8 guard/forward, to a scholarship offer. The basketball season is not over and already four players from the Bulldog squad have accepted four-year scholarship offers. Who says athletics doesn’t pay!

You can watch both teams at the prestigious BCAA BIG 8 County Basketball Championships. The Girls County Championships will be held February 6-8, 2003, at the South Plantation High School gymnasium. The Boys County Championships will be held a week later (February 12-15, 2003) at the Fort Lauderdale High School gymnasium. The county championships will give us a good indication of Dillard’s and South Broward’s potential to “4” peat.