Opening last September, the Tacoma Business Academy is a new school pushing the boundaries of innovation to help kids graduate from high school and avoid becoming another dropout statistic. The Academy is a unique program for students who have stopped attending high school and are working, but want to complete high school and improve their employability. Made possible through a partnership between Tacoma Public Schools, Bates Technical College and Communities In Schools of Tacoma, the Academy is an opportunity for those who would have not graduated to get a second chance at earning a high school diploma.

鈥淎nytime you can bring just one student back and try to engage him and really go at that student in a different fashion鈥� is a measure of success according to Tyler Stanek, a Communities In Schools of Tacoma board member. Tacoma鈥檚 graduation rate is 68%, meaning 1 out of 3 students will dropout. Because of this disturbing trend, the School Board has set goals of decreasing the dropout rate by 10% a year and reducing the number of students who don鈥檛 graduate by the same amount. One way that they hope to achieve this is through the Tacoma Business Academy.

At the Academy, each student is an active member of a small learning community while working toward meeting personal educational goals. Students work while going to school to finish their high school credits taking an assortment of business, marketing and information technology classes. Students are enrolled through Tacoma Public Schools, and have access to other resources such as online learning and Bates鈥� programs. The school鈥檚 philosophy is teaching youths the importance of work and helping them to eventually learn and earn their way out of low paying jobs.

Communities in Schools of Tacoma provides a full-time coordinator who helps students find job shadows and recruits volunteers, tutors and graduation coaches.

鈥淥ur goal is to create a supportive environment for students鈥� personal growth by providing positive role models to help guide them through their course work as they earn credit towards their high school diploma.鈥� Teresa Maxwell, Executive Director of Communities In Schools of Tacoma.

The Academy is a second chance for students, who would have otherwise been lost in the system. It promotes hard work both at school and on the job, instilling in kids the confidence they need to believe that through hard work, determination, and sometimes help from organizations like Communities In Schools, that they can be successful in school and in life.

Learn More: To learn more about this exciting new venture go to .

Volunteer: To find out how to get involved and make a difference, contact Communities in Schools of Tacoma Executive Director, Teresa Maxwell at 253.571.1114 or visit

Enroll: To enroll in the Tacoma Business Academy or for more information, call the TPS Career and Technical Education department at 253.571.1126.

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鈥淢y goal is to have 3 A’s in math, reading and science. I pass my goal.鈥� Axsaulis, McCarver Elementary

鈥淢y goal is to do all my homework. I did pretty good. I鈥檝e been turning in every single piece of my homework.鈥� Callie, Fern Hill Elementary

For many students, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. 鈥淥h, just to see these kids鈥� face when they walk through the door here, you wouldn鈥檛 believe. Most of them say 鈥榃ow!鈥� you know, they鈥檙e just floored. They鈥檝e never been to Quest Field before and to work so hard on a goal and to reach it and come and celebrate with us is just a joy,鈥� says Teresa Maxwell, Executive Director of Communities In Schools of Tacoma

The day of celebration began with school buses of eager students lining up outside Quest Field. As each group of students arrived, they were allowed out onto the field where they had their pictures taken right on the 40 yard line. Inside, students practiced their football skills with blow-up football games, met and got autographs from a couple of Seagals, and got the chance to run around with Blitz, the Seahawks very own mascot.

The festivities really kicked off with the Subway Sandwich Build competition and the introduction of seven Seahawk players: Howard Green, Ray Willis, Sean Locklear, Michael Bumpus, TJ Duckett, DeMichael Dizer, and Ben Obomanu. The seven players were split into two teams with each team matched with six lucky students who would compete to build a six foot long Subway Sandwich as quickly as possible. After a few short minutes of flying turkey and lettuce, team two won the challenge!

Students then listened to Seahawk player #87, Ben Obomanu, tell his own story about facing and overcoming challenges to reach success, and congratulated the students on their achievements. Ben Obomanu understood not only the importance of setting and reaching goals, but also the importance of community support and programs like First & Goal. 鈥淣ot only do they have the parents, the teachers, and the instructors in schools as support. But to also know that they have the support of the Seahawks and the people in their communities who care about their well-being and care about them going off and being successful in life is important. So I think that the just extra motivation to help them to come back, to want to come back to an event like this next year, to encourage other students and classmates to be successful and accomplish their goals, I think the extra motivation is going to go a long way for a lot of kids,鈥� said Ben Obomanu.

Students also enjoyed a free lunch and watched as seven students were individually recognized for reaching their goals with the prize of a mini Seahawks helmet. After lunch, the event closed with every student receiving a goody bag full of donated gifts from Costco and a coupon for a free Subway sandwich. As the students lined up to leave, they each got the opportunity to meet a Seahawk player and receive an autograph on a Seahawk program.

The day was a complete success as evidenced by the smiles and cheers of the students as they climbed into the buses that would take them home. The event not only celebrated each student鈥檚 success, but also reaffirmed the importance of goal setting and community support. 鈥淲e want to share the importance of goal setting with the students,鈥� said Mike Flood, Seahawks Vice President. 鈥淭he First and Goal program provides a structure where the students develop, track, attain and receive positive recognition for their goals.鈥� It is through the continuation of programs like First & Goal, and exciting days like the First & Goal Luncheon, that will help children be successful in school and in life.

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