Trumbull Business Program Trying to Grow

Meet the new boss.

Long time community volunteer Joanne Tyborowski recently assumed leadership of Trumbull's Business/Education Initiative, a partnership made up of business, education, community and town government leaders to raise the awareness of students in grades K-12 in the town’s private and public schools of the world of business.

She recently reviewed what it does and asked for the board's help in growing its footprint in Trumbull schools.

Tyborowski thanked John Annick, who founded the organization 16 years ago and remains a director.

She said BEI offers grants of up to $1,000 to high school seniors and “mini-grants,” for teachers and school staff members.

They fund student projects and programs that present potential career opportunities and that introduce advanced studies in the scienes and humanities.

Students at 's School were awarded funding to start a school store. The students used the grant to purchase inventory and necessary materials and supplies, then gained hands on experience running the store.

Others include funding a trip for a group of THS science students to Massachusetts Institute of Technology to learn about advanced studies in science and engineering and underwriting a portion of the Yale Mock Trial Competition for prospective pre-law students.

Mini-grants to school staff are awarded for events, projects and programs that demonstrate a “strong link to career exploration.” Projects funded include an Oceanography and Marine Science program at Madison Middle School and an Applied Broadcast Journalism program at St. Josephs.

Tyborowski said they fund “20 to 25 projects a year,” but they are “leaving money on the table because they could have funded more projects.”

“We are an underutilized resource."

She asked for help in generating more grant applications.

Tyborowski said that BEI holds a year end awards breakfast “that celebrates our kids and what the do.” They held a meeting last November with state legislators to learn about relevant changes in laws that affect their programs and an April meeting to discuss the bio-tech industry and how our students might prepare for the large number of jobs that currently go unfilled.

BEI is also a speakers' bureau, bringing in business people into the schools to talk about their work or profession. They introduce students to the type of background needed to succeed in their field as well as broader information about the changing workplace.

Board of Education member Mike Ward said, “John Annick will never retire from BEI...we won't let him.”

Everyone interested in learning more about BEI is directed to their website: http://trumbullbei.wordpress.com/