WASHINGTON — CPB is moving its high-school dropout prevention initiative into a new jobs-training phase, with $3.7 million in grants to 19 stations for American Graduate: Getting to Work.
The corporation announced the grants, which range from $170,000 to $200,000, at the annual meeting of the National Educational Telecommunications Association Tuesday.
Recipient stations will work with community partners to assess the local workforce and produce local content focused on the skills needed in that area.
“The American Graduate initiative attracted local business and community leader support and engagement by focusing on keeping young people on the path to success in school and life,” said CPB President Pat Harrison in a press release. “All Americans want our young people to be prepared to fill jobs that currently are unfilled because of a skills gap.”
The 19 stations receiving these American Graduate grants are Alabama Public Television, Birmingham; Alaska Public Media, Anchorage; Cincinnati Educational Television; Idaho Public Television, Boise; KCPT, Kansas City, Mo.; Kentucky Educational Television, Lexington; KLRU, Austin, Texas; KUEN, Salt Lake City; Nine Network, St. Louis; PBS Charlotte, N.C.; Vegas PBS; West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Charleston; WFSU, Tallahassee, Fla.; WHRO, Norfolk, Va.; WOSU, Columbus, Ohio; WVIZ, Cleveland; and WXXI, Rochester, N.Y.
Nine Network will bring the work of these stations together “to develop content and resources as well as align best practices for national impact,” the release said. Stations “will be able to access the shared resources to partner with local funders and launch similar local efforts.”