Program Name: Bridge to Employment Program
Nominator's Name: Stewart Richter
Title: Science Department Chairperson
Address: Garretson Road
City/State/Zip: Bridgewater NJ 08807
Nominator's Telephone Number: 908-231-8660 ext 267
Organization: Bridgewater-Raritan High School
Address: Garretson Road
City/State/Zip: Bridgewater NJ 08807
List of Community Partners: Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (A Johnson & Johnson Company)
The nominated program focuses on the following grade level or area: Middle/Jr. School
District:  Bridgewater-Raritan
County: Somerset
Address: PO Box 6030, 836 Newmans Lane
City/State/Zip: Bridgewater NJ 08807
District Superintendent: Dr. Stephen L. Sokolow
District Telephone Number: 908-685-2777
Date of Program Initiation: September 1998

Area 1: Goals:

The goal of our Bridge to Employment Program is to provide our students with an education that will prepare them for careers in the workplace of the 21st century. To this end, we have established partnerships with a local science-oriented corporation, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals, Inc., to identify and address skills that are necessary for success in the workplace. We also have included career information dissemination as an integral part of our program.

Along with many of the Science Core Curriculum standards, our program addresses all of the Cross-Content Workplace Readiness Standards.

Area 2: Activities:

The unique feature of our Bridge to Employment Program involves "mentors" from Ortho-McNeil working with our science staff and students on a regular basis to develop and implement programs that will be of value to our science students. Thus far, more than 80 Ortho-McNeil employees have participated in our program as mentors.

Another unique feature of this program involves the use of Ortho-McNeil's facilities to provide student exposure to current technology in a corporate workplace environment. At times we have used resources from the company to deliver workshops for our students on team building, job fairs, resume writing, interviewing skills, and the use of technology devices not available in the school environment. Our Engineering Technology students have toured the facility with an emphasis on the engineering aspects, including Environmental Engineering, Robotics, and Utilities. Our Advanced Biology classes were taken on a "Drug Discovery Tour" at the Ortho-McNeil facility in Raritan. The students moved in small groups through the buildings in a tour that was designed to show them each of the steps needed to develop a new drug, test it, manufacture it and bring it to market.

Mentors also help students complete projects in biology, chemistry, organic chemistry and engineering technology. Support for projects is provided through class visits and e-mail, and phone conversations where appropriate. The availability of the corporate mentors to assist students with various science projects is an innovative aspect of this program

Another important aspect of our program involves the dissemination of career information in small group settings. The purpose is to make our students aware of the wide range of science careers that are currently available, and the education, skills and abilities needed to be successful in these positions.

Corporate mentors and teachers meet at least once a month to plan the various activities. Mentors design workshops, visit classrooms and act as tour guides through their facilities

Area 3: Resources:

Grants and financial support for approximately $90,000 have been provided over the last three years. The financial support has come from the Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of Ortho-McNeil. The funding provided by our corporate benefactors allowed us the opportunity to purchase equipment, materials and supplies that allowed our students to do a wide variety of projects and laboratory research. This opportunity would not be available through our normal public funding sources.

The most important resource was the more than 80 employees from Ortho-McNeil that participated in our program as mentors. The corporate mentors, through their patient, encouraging, supportive and generous interaction with students provided personalized career information and relevant course content information for our students.

The financial and corporate mentor support from this program allowed students to experience a high level of involvement in the pursuits of modern science and to be more aware of a wide range of career possibilities and the skills needed for success in the future.

Area 4: Evaluation:

The best available verifiable evidence of the achievement of this program is the evaluations of students and teachers and the change in our science curriculum.

The students and teachers report that they greatly appreciated the opportunities to work with corporate mentors and the program provided them with experiences and insight they would have otherwise not obtained. The students also understood that without the financial support of our corporate benefactors they would not have had the equipment and materials to complete their scientific projects. Providing students the opportunity to be involved in these projects is a significant aspect of this program. The full range of these projects is a matter of record that could not be communicated with the word limit imposed here.

Students also report that they gained a great deal of new information regarding science career opportunities and the requisite skills and education needed to obtain positions in these fields.

Another source of verifiable evidence of the significant achievement of our program is the change in our curriculum. This change provides for a wide range of activities designed to provide opportunities for students to participate in in-depth science projects and research and to learn about science careers. The teachers involved in the program also now have a greater understanding of the skills and abilities necessary to succeed in today's work world. The teachers are better able to use this information to continue developing curriculum and influence students.

Area 5: Stability:

Over the three years that our Bridge to Employment Program has been in existence it has been rather stable. The high school coordinator has been in that position since the inception of the program. The four teachers involved in the program have remained the same. The commitment of Johnson & Johnson and Ortho-McNeil has remained constant despite various individuals serving as corporate coordinators over the three years. Many of the mentors have remained a constant. The Board of Education originally approved of the Bridge to Employment Program and they are still staunch supporters. Each year we have had an increase in the number of students enrolling in the various courses that are part of the Bridge to Employment Program. Student interest and support is high. Some of the corporate funding has expired but we have requested funds in the upcoming school budget and several additional grants have been solicited. The original grants have supplied the infrastructure and we can function at our current level with only limited funding. We have however, applied for additional funding to expand the program to other teachers and additional students. An integral part of the program is the orientation and training of all participants. Of course this would continue with the program. Overall the program has an excellent level of stability with a strong promise of continued success.

Area 6: Endorsements:

The major corporate stakeholders that support our program include the administrative leaders of Johnson & Johnson and Ortho-McNeil. The educational leaders from the Superintendent and the Board of Education to the Principal and staff at our high school support the program. The Science Department Chairperson is the person who designed and initiated the program and he provides full support of the Bridge to Employment Program. The students that are enrolled in the program and their parents thoroughly support and appreciate the benefits of the Bridge to Employment Program.

The Bridge to Employment Program has allowed a unique opportunity for students to be immersed in a corporate organization. The partnership between Ortho-McNeil and Bridgewater-Raritan High School has given students the opportunity to learn: firsthand what it is like to work at a pharmaceutical company. However, the partnership was more than just a tour of a facility. The start of this partnership was the start of a "relationship" between our students and the employees at Ortho-McNeil. Not only did professionals from Ortho help our students in the design and execution of their science experiments, but the personal discussion of backgrounds, lifestyles, and work ethics allowed our students to see a full 3-D picture of what it is like to work at a pharmaceutical company. Students saw these professionals not just as Ortho-McNeil employees but also as people. It is this realization that has opened the eyes of our students to see that they too can develop the skills necessary to work for such a company. The "leap of faith" that students take, going from education into the workplace now doesn't seem all that difficult. That's the essence of this program. It's not something that can be taught in a classroom or learned over the Internet. It's something that needs to be experienced. The key to the success of this program is the word "partnership." Both sides contribute to the benefit of all.

John Kowalkski - Advanced Biology Teacher

Despite the fact that I had always excelled in scientific areas of study, I had never taken a class that had the ability to effect who I am as a person and the great things I will someday become until I took Advanced Biology. The unique atmosphere created by the amazing opportunity to experience modern technology, explore biology with personal freedom, and administer cooperative creativity to tasks has given me a more realistic view of the work force and a broader perspective of what science is really all about. The opportunities made possible by the program have allowed me the chance to discover personal strengths and become more confident by challenging my intellectual capabilities and helping me to think on a deeper level than taught in traditional science classes. As well, this class has taught me the lifelong lesson of working well with peers, allowing me the ability to cooperate with others to reach success more efficiently. The enjoyment that follows success has opened my eyes to new career choices as my classmates and I eagerly make use of the valuable materials we have been granted and find ourselves honestly dedicated to our experiments and looking forward to class. The lessons I have learned in Advanced Biology have never been touched upon within my twelve previous years of study and are, without a doubt, priceless in every aspect of the word. I am thankful for the opportunities I have been given and the guidance this class has offered me.

Megan Borberly - Student

Nearing the end of one's high school career, as I am and many others in Bridgewater-Raritan High School's Advanced Biology classes, it is important to begin thinking about future plans. I myself am interested in many possible majors and careers and specifically took this class in order to narrow my list of interests. With the help of Ortho-McNeil, their generous grant, and their numerous programs and speakers, I have learned and experienced a great deal. I am more familiar with lab procedures and have been provided with the resources to perform a meaningful experiment. I work and get along better with my group members; as a result we get more accomplished. Most importantly, I have been introduced to fields like pharmacy, which I am now considering as a future career, thanks to speakers from Ortho-McNeil. This year's experience was very rewarding and I would definitely recommend the Bridge to Employment Program to any student or school.

Steven Karig - Student