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Haverhill students showed “marked improvements in behavior, motivation and connection to school” while taking part this past school year in a pilot program called Gateway Occupational and Academic Learning—or GOAL, for short.
GOAL is a collaboration of Gateway Academy; Haverhill Public Private Partnership, or HP3; and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Haverhill. Aimed at the city’s most vulnerable youth, the school-year program was designed to re-engage students in grades 9–12 who face academic, social and behavioral challenges. Progress was reported by Gateway Academy Principal Brian Edmunds.
“Together, we are not just keeping students in school, we’re helping them imagine and build a future,” Edmunds said.
Each day, students begin with academic instruction at Gateway Academy, then transition to the Boys & Girls Club for lunch, recreation and an intensive workforce development component that includes career exploration, financial literacy, site visits, real-world vocational experiences and professional development.
“The GOAL program is a true example of what’s possible when schools, nonprofits and community partners come together around a shared mission,” said HP3 Director Allison Heartquist.
Students who successfully completed the program were recognized with certificates and a $500 stipend through the program’s “earn while you learn” component. Mayor Melinda E. Barrett was on hand for the end of school year celebration to present official citations.
Javier Bristol, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club, added “This partnership is a powerful example of how community collaboration can transform lives.”
Looking ahead, the program seeks to expand its reach and impact by creating vocational partnerships, incorporating more industry-aligned learning opportunities and increasing capacity through additional staff support.