JVS launches foundation, Dress for Success initiative to prepare students for future careers

BLOOMINGDALE -- Jefferson County Joint Vocational School leaders are helping students prepare for the future through the creation of the new JVS Education Foundation Fund and a Dress for Success initiative designed to make students job-ready.

During the regular school board meeting June 30, Superintendent Ted Gorman announced the formation of the foundation, which will work with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) and the community to provide scholarships for post-secondary education at colleges, trade schools and other training programs.

"We are excited to start the JVS Foundation as another way to support our students and their futures. The foundation will give alumni, friends of the school, businesses, and community members the opportunity to donate and invest in the future of Jefferson County JVS students," Gorman said. "The JVS Foundation will be set up as a 501(c)(3), and our goal is to grow those funds over time so we can provide more scholarships for our students each year. We already have scholarship accounts in place, but this new foundation will help us strengthen and expand those opportunities."

Gorman said the partnership with FAO will help build upon the school's support system.

"We are partnering with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, which is a great organization that understands our area and the importance of helping students in Appalachian communities. This partnership will help us create something that can benefit JVS students for many years to come. Our goal is to support any JVS student who wants to further their education, whether that is at a four-year college, a two-year college, a trade school, or another training program. We want to remove barriers and give our students as many opportunities as possible after graduation."

A committee of administrators will be appointed to help create the foundation fund. For more information or to donate, contact JVS at (740) 264-5545.

"Every donation, big or small, will help us support students and build something meaningful for the future," Gorman said.

Additionally, JVS is launching its Dress for Success initiative, providing uniforms for students to help them build positive habits as they enter the workforce. Polo shirts, T-shirts and uniforms will be provided to students, with costs included in student fees. The goal is to establish the routine of wearing career-related attire while at school.

"The Dress for Success initiative is about helping our students build good habits and take pride in the career path they have chosen. Beginning this school year, we are asking students to wear their lab uniforms throughout the entire school day, not just during their lab time," Gorman said. "We believe our students are dressing for their future. When they wear their uniforms, they look professional, they feel professional, and they begin to understand the expectations of the workplace."

Gorman and Supervisor/Principal Heather Hoover said similar programs at other career centers inspired the initiative at JVS.

"As I visited other career centers, one thing that stood out to me was seeing students in their lab uniforms throughout the day. They looked professional, and there was a real sense of pride in the building. I want that same feeling for our students at Jefferson County JVS," Gorman said. "In the past, many of our students wore their lab uniforms for part of the day and then changed for their academic classes. With Dress for Success, we want students to understand that professionalism does not stop when they leave the lab. It is part of who they are becoming."

Hoover has been working with Cintas and other uniform companies to have the uniforms ready. Officials said the initiative will help prepare students for the workforce and life after JVS.

"At Jefferson County JVS, we want students to feel proud of the work they are doing and the careers they are preparing for," Gorman said. "Dress for Success is another step in helping our students see themselves as young professionals."