Louisiana educators vote to expand Jump Start Summers program

(Photo credit: Pexels)
(Photo credit: Pexels)
Updated: Apr. 23, 2019 at 8:40 AM CDT
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BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - A summer program that helps Louisiana students receive on-the-job training through paid internships is expanding.

The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) voted to expand the Jump Start Summers program, which will be available to more than 3,000 high school students. Fifteen additional providers were approved during the voting on April 17. These providers bring the total to 59 and programs offered to 166.

The program allows high school students to earn academic credit while earning a wage during the summer months.

Jump Start Summers launched in 2017 as a way to provide paid internships to students in the state. The average stipend amount will be $690.

Students can get internships in a variety of carer fields, such as drone operation, automotive repair, business, construction, culinary arts, health care, information technology, manufacturing and hospitality. In the first two years of the program, 48 providers enrolled 1,792 students, according to the state’s department of education.

Students interested in taking part in Jump Start Summers can contact their school officials about how to sign up. The education department also has program information on its website.

The announcement of the expansion comes after the education department released for public comment a blueprint, Jump Start 2.0, that outlines the future of the education program.

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