It’s not Kristin Harrington’s birthday today, (that’s just under two months away) but she thoroughly enjoyed a dramatic birthday gift to her organization, Youth Solutions, headquartered in Benton Harbor and home to the Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates program in the form of a super-sized check from the Michigan College Access Network which is celebrating a birthday. 
MCAN Executive Director Ryan Fewins-Bliss stopped by Kristin’s office on Main Street in Benton Harbor today with an over-sized check for $10,000 to help Harrington and her team continue the amazing work they do to get vulnerable youth here and across the state ready for jobs that create a huge difference in their lives.
Fewins-Bliss is on a mission this week to present 10 such $10,000 checks in ten days from one end of the state to the other. He says that today’s visit to Benton Harbor is number four on his tour, following stops earlier this week in Detroit, Fremont and Flint.
The check from the Michigan College Access Network is in support of Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates programming that works towards increasing college readiness, participation, and completion for thousands of Michigan youth each year.
Youth Solutions, Inc., is the nonprofit organization offering opportunity pathways to education and employment success for Michigan’s vulnerable youth, through their leading Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates (JMG) program.
MCAN is celebrating its 10th birthday by awarding 10 organizations across the state with $10,000 each. The money being awarded to Youth Solutions will help support over 3,200 youth across Michigan, including more than 778 young people in Southwest Michigan.
Fewins-Bliss told Harrington, “We knew that we were looking for folks like you who saw the connection to not just a career, but to some sort of college, and we use a broad definition of college, and you were the obvious choice to celebrate with. You’ve impacted thousands of students over many years, you continue to be innovative, you continue to be a leader in the state, as well as in the Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates program, and it’s so great to have you in Michigan. I’m excited to bring you this huge check.”
In accepting the check, Harrington, who serves as Executive Director of Youth Solutions, aid, “This pandemic has been particularly devastating for Michigan’s most vulnerable young people, with youth disconnection rates from education and employment reaching a staggering 10.6-percent post-COVID. Michigan’s young people risk being left behind as education institutions struggle to engage youth virtually and Michigan employers pivot towards middle-to-higher skilled jobs.”
Looking at the work her unit does, Harrington says, “Youth Solutions, Inc. is proud to offer opportunity pathways to education and employment success for Michigan’s vulnerable youth. Through our Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates (JMG) programming, we ensure youth overcome the challenges of completing a high school degree and succeed post-graduation in their education pursuits and in obtaining meaningful employment.”
Looking at the link between her organization and MCAN, Harrington notes, “Our partnership with the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) around accelerating postsecondary education and career pathways is a game-changer for Michigan youth. MCAN is a best-in-class organization and the leader in postsecondary access. We are grateful for their confidence in JMG and eager to expand our collective efforts in the coming decade in service to young people and in alignment with Governor Whitmer’s ’60 by 30′ initiative.”
Danny Jennings, a Benton Harbor High School Specialist for Youth Solutions talked about the work they perform, saying, “We touch on soft skills and try to give our young people the self-assurance that they have some talents, some understanding, some skills, amenities and resources to be able to gravitate toward whatever type of field of work that they could be successful in.”
Recognizing the value of the program he helps bring to the table, Jennings said today, “I wish I had this course when I was a teenager, because there are so many areas that I struggled with as a young adult that could have been taken care of with some sort of training when I was 16 or 17 years old, such as resume writing, cover letter creation, interview skills and the like. Not only that, understanding that there are opportunities outside of the things that I had thought I wanted by watching TV. Growing up in a poverty-stricken environment, and a gang-infested environment, there aren’t a lot of people training you or talking to you about your future aside from the NBA, the NFL, BET-Television, or being a rap artist and things like that.”
Admitting that the program his team brings today is a real eye-opener, Jennings says, “I didn’t even know that all of these career fields existed, that actually fit my skill set, the passions that I have and the love that I have. Things that I would do for free, and not even know that I could get a lucrative wage doing something that I love. This is where we’re able to impact our young people the most. We tell them that there are a lot of things that they can do that they already enjoy, and they can serve themselves and their families, and live a healthy lifestyle, just because of what they’ve learned from this course.”
Mike Kirby is one of the beneficiaries of having Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates at Benton Harbor High School, and he’s been with the program for two years, and has enjoyed it. Kirby said today that he loves the program, calling it “really impressive and helpful because I’m at an age now where nobody typically teaches things like JMG does in high school including how to write a resume, or interviewing skills.”
Mike is an athlete and was angling toward a career in the NFL. Jennings says, “There is nothing wrong with his aspirations to be an NFL football player, however, he shared with me that because of the course he has discovered that he can take that same passion and skill-base, and love of sports, and channel it toward a career as a sports manager or an athletic trainer, or some other aspect of athletics that you can train for, study for, and become because of your fortitude to be a professional, instead of feeling like he has to hit the lottery of actually landing a lucrative spot in the NFL player ranks.”
Harrington asked State Senator Kim LaSata to be a part of today’s presentation because she was one of the earliest supporters of the student connection of Youth Solutions in both the State House and the Senate and chairs the Higher Education Committee. LaSata echoed Jennings, saying, “I too could have used this when I was in school, I was painfully shy. I needed someone to hold my hand.” She says she defended against JMG funding cuts, and succeeded in getting 2 instructors for Benton Harbor, and adds, “We need Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates all the way from elementary through high school. People ask why I fight for colleges, and I tell them I fight for education, because everyone deserves a good education. Every K-12 student deserves a good education. Kristin and I have developed a strong relationship, she is definitely why this program has grown and succeeded in SW Michigan. There’s no doubt.”
LaSata also contends, “This is a positive that has come out of COVID, that people are supporting this type of education. You’re getting the message out there, and more and more people are learning about JMG, and a lot more people are getting on-board. One day, and I hope it’s very soon, you won’t care about the state and whether they provide funds or not, because you’ll have widespread support for the program, and today’s grant is a great step in the right direction. This is a program that I’m willing to fight for, and a program that we have to tell everyone that we know about.”
Dr. Leslie Kellogg, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Lake Michigan College was the final speaker today at the check ceremony, saying, “I am honored to be asked to represent Lake Michigan College here today to help MCAN recognize and celebrate the work of Youth Solutions and JMG programs that serve thousands of people here in SW Michigan. We have a long and collaborative partnership with the Kinexus Group, and share many interests and our missions are closely aligned.” Kellogg also suggested, “This is difficult work. No one organization can do it alone, so we have to work together. The work can be daunting and overwhelming at times, but the rewards are awesome because when we do our best work together, we change lives, and families and communities in profound ways that ripple across the region and the entire state and nation and into the future.”
All in all, a pretty solid birthday celebration for MCAN, directly benefiting young people in Michigan’s Great Southwest through a generous gift of $10,000 for Youth Solutions programming.
