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In the heart of Liberty City, Miami Northwestern Senior High School is sprouting a crop of multi-talented youth through the work of "The Education Effect," a partnership developed in 2011 between Florida International University (FIU) and Miami-Dade County Public Schools, with support from JPMorgan Chase. It connects students, teachers, parents and the community with FIU’s knowledge and expertise.
By providing research-based intervention programs to address pressing educational and social needs of students, the initiative works to improve education outcomes, prepare students for college and helps develop job skills for future employment. Specifically, it aims to prepare students for college and careers through hands-on experience.
Through the initiative, students at Miami Northwestern have learned skills in urban agriculture and techniques to solve improved access to fresh food in all communities. Youth manage and maintain an aquaponics lab, an herbs and fruit garden, and develop tools to help distribute the produce and food they grow.
In 2011, the JPMorgan Chase Foundation awarded a $1 million grant to FIU to help launch The Education Effect. Two years later, the firm provided a grant to kick off the urban agriculture and social enterprise program. This year, as part of the firm’s commitment to New Skills at Work, JPMorgan Chase awarded a $600,000 grant to expand the school’s welding program. Now, more students, community members and FIU students will be able to get training in this high-demand, high-paying skill.
Before The Education Effect was established, Miami Northwestern Senior High School was typically recognized for its powerhouse football program, not for academics. Since then, the school earned its first “A” rating and has improved graduation rates, and student achievement is on the rise.
Click here to learn more about “The Education Effect.”
¹ FIU News, "FIU's Education Effect joins Chase to bridge skills gap in Liberty City," February, 2015.
² FIU Office of Engagement. "The Education Effect" October 2013
