Supporting Baltimore City’s Kids

Greater Baltimore Cares continues to expand its mentoring initiatives and partnerships in Maryland in support of children and young adults.

Recently Greater Baltimore Cares partnered with Ross Technologies, Inc. (RTGX) and hosted students from Baltimore’s Carver Vocational Technical High School for two days at RTGX’s classroom facilities located just outside the campus of the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC).

For two days the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade students participated in mentoring sessions with Ross Technology Employees, UMBC Students and UMBC Students that are part Meyerhoff Scholars program. Also providing mentorship support were former RTGX college interns who have successfully entered the work place. The two-day agenda included:

• Technology demonstrations
• Academic advise and sessions on social networking its benefits and dangers
• Life skills needed for successful entry into the work force
• Interactive sessions where the students were able to ask questions of the mentors in a relaxed setting.

The plan is for RTGX to work with Carver to adopt a group of students and support them throughout their high school years with access to mentors and other tools. Carver Vocational Technical High School is one of several inner city schools focused on providing a combination of academic and vocational training with the goal of graduating students that can enter the work force with tangible skills or that can expand their academics and tangible skills at the college level.

The Carver High School project is the second major mentoring initiative Greater Baltimore Cares has undertaken. Last year we helped launch a technology center in the Perkins Home community in downtown Baltimore. We partnered with the Living Classroom Foundation and their other partners to make this nearly five year dream a reality for the community. A 100-year-old firehouse was converted into a community center and named the Power House! The Greater Baltimore Cares and RTGX Technology Center is located on the second floor of the firehouse and it also houses a financial literacy facility donated by one of the major local banks. The technology center will act as the hub of mentoring activities for the children and parents of the community.

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