Real World Training Pays Off For 16 Miami Students

MIAMI (CBS4) - More than a dozen students from Miami's Booker T. Washington High School were given a chance to succeed Monday in the form of scholarships.

For the past four months, the 16 students have been a part of a special Big Brothers, Big Sisters School to Work Program. Each month they've arrived by bus at the DoubleTree Grand Hotel On Biscayne and at the Hilton Bentley Hotel where they received exposure to the workplace and encouragement as they shadowed their mentors, volunteer hotel executives, throughout their day. On Monday, the students thought it would be just another typical day until they found out they were being given scholarships by Julie Grimes, the managing partner of the Hilton Bentley Hotel.

"I never knew there was an opportunity like this for us," said Yanitza.

Grimes contributed $25 thousand to ensure they each get a chance to further their education and hopes others do the same. The contribution is eligible for matching funds from the Miami-Dade College Foundation and Take Stock in Children Miami-Dade.

"We have a huge impact on the lives of these children. Many of them are at risk," said Grimes. "This is an opportunity for the business community to step in for just four hours a month to engage your employees to help these children."

With Grimes and the matching funds provided by the School to Work program many of these students said they would never see a college classroom.

"My mom didn't have the money for me to go to college and now I have the chance to go," said student Juan Carlos Carela.

Twenty-one businesses throughout Miami-Dade County are part of the School to Work Program which helps more than 500 students.

If you'd like your business to get involved in the School to Work Program, contact Gale Nelson with Big Brothers Big Sisters at (305) 644-0066.