2007 Impacts
The first Pre-Employment and Career Exploration (PACE) Teen Conference was held in May 2006. This was a pilot project co-sponsored by the Center for Youth Workforce Preparation and Educational Service District 112 Youth Workforce Programs. One hundred eight teens attended the all day conference. Conference proceeding focused on:
- preparing for summer employment
- exploring potential careers
- planning for post-high school education and training
Students attended 60-minute interest sessions, large group activities, job fair, meetings with WSU Vancouver staff and community professionals.
In October 2006, planning began for an expanded, weeklong experience renamed WSU Vancouver PaCE Academy. The WSU Vancouver Center for Youth Workforce Preparation and the WSU Vancouver Digital Technology & Culture Program served as co-sponsors. Soon, additional faculty and staff from WSU Vancouver, Clark College and community partners joined the effort.
By April 2007, six educational Tracks were confirmed:
- Art with Computers
- Exploring Other Worlds
- Journalism & Media
- Biomedicine
- Engineers Make It Happen
- and The Brain and Body
Student comments include:
- “I think we should get sessions like this into our schools”
- “I felt that I learned more about what college would be like”
- “I want to be on the student planning committee”
- “I was gonna take welding but now I’m gonna take Mechanical Engineering”
FAST FACTS 2006-2007
203 middle school/high school students have attended the PaCE Teen Conference and Summer Academy since it began in 2006; of these, 152 completed program evaluations.
Nine middle schools and 25 high schools from Clark, Cowlitz, Pacific, Multnomah and Clackamas Counties were represented.
WSU Vancouver faculty & staff served as lead instructors. Additional support provided by:
| City of Vancouver | PBS Engineering & Environmental |
| Clark College | Port of Vancouver |
| Clark County 4-H | Project Service Leadership |
| Columbia Machine | PWB Technologies |
| Delta Society | US Forest Service |
| Greenstone Architecture | Volunteer Connections |
| iQ Credit | Washington School for the Deaf |
| Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital | and many more. |
| Look Both Ways LLC | . |
Student Evaluation Summary
95 Students Attended, 72 Students Completed Written Evaluation
| . | Back. . . before I participated in PaCE 2007 | Now. . . after I have participated in PaCE 2007 | ||||||
| Circle one number for each statement | Circle one number for each statement | |||||||
| Because of my participation PaCE 2007: | No | Sometimes | Usually | Yes | No | Sometimes | Usually | Yes |
| 1. I have clear educational goals after high school | 7% | 25% | 29% | 39% | 3% | 12% | 32% | 53% |
| 2. I have clear career goals after high school | 13% | 21% | 32% | 34% | 8% | 19% | 22% | 51% |
| 3. I feel I can evaluate my own education and career decisions | 10% | 21% | 40% | 29% | 5% | 11% | 36% | 48% |
| 4. I know how to ask critical questions | 8% | 25% | 28% | 39% | 2% | 14% | 29% | 55% |
| 5. I know where to find information about education and careers | 9% | 27% | 29% | 35% | 0% | 13% | 21% | 66% |
| 6. I know how to clearly state my thoughts about my own education and career interests | 3% | 23% | 36% | 38% | 0% | 10% | 33% | 57% |
| 7. I am interested in my selected track as a career. | 24% | 27% | 27% | 22% | 11% | 10% | 32% | 47% |
| 8. Track specific question - see Individual Track Summary | ||||||||
| 9. Track specific question - see Individual Track Summary | ||||||||
| 10. Track specific question - see Individual Track Summary | ||||||||
| 11. Track specific question - see Individual Track Summary | ||||||||
| 12. I am interested in attending Washington State University Vancouver | 41% | 24% | 15% | 20% | 28% | 15% | 22% | 35% |
| 13. I am interested in attending Washington State University Pullman | 43% | 26% | 20% | 11% | 26% | 18% | 23% | 33% |
| 14. I am interested in attending Clark College | 51% | 24% | 14% | 11% | 44% | 19% | 13% | 24% |
| 15. I have changed my educational goals | 56% | 32% | 6% | 6% | 33% | 20% | 21% | 26% |
| 16. I have changed my career goals | 59% | 27% | 10% | 4% | 44% | 17% | 12% | 27% |
Student Information:
| Current age: 29% = 12 18% = 13 15% = 14 12% = 15 10% = 16 10% = 17 6% = 18 | Grade: 28% = 7th 16% = 8th 13% = 9th 24% = 10th 6% = 11th 13% = 12th | Gender: 55% Female 45% Male |
Home is: 11% farm 17% rural non-farm 14% town under 50,000 58% city over 50,000 |
Described self as: 5% African American 5% Native American 8% Asian/Pacific Islander 5% Hispanic 69% White/Caucasian 8% Racially mixed |
