REACH! Partnership School

Preparing Baltimore City students for college and careers in healthcare and construction
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REACH! Partnership School is an innovative Baltimore City public high school operated by Civic Works. We prepare students for college and careers in Healthcare and Construction. Graduates of REACH! Partnership leave the school with certifications that let them start jobs or apprenticeships as nursing assistants, pharmacy technicians, carpenters, or electricians. Students learn the importance of attending college and are encouraged to enroll in college courses during their senior year. REACH! Partnership is a school of choice and students throughout Baltimore City are eligible to apply.

For more information, visit the REACH! website. Please contact REACH! Partnership School (443-642-2291) or email reachpartnership@bcps.k12.md.us.

Joey Payne and Tykiera Simmons both have big plans for the future. The recent REACH! Partnership School graduates were at the top of their class of 89 students. Joey was the class Valedictorian and graduated with a 4.09 GPA, Tykiera was Salutatorian with a 3.06 GPA. Both students achieved so much during their time at REACH! and will accomplish a lot more in the years to come.

Joey started at REACH! Partnership School as a sixth grader and immediately felt a connection to the school. The teachers and staff encouraged him to step outside of his comfort zone and pushed him to improve academically. He did well in school and participated in extracurricular activities, which he says enriched his educational experience. He even spent time tutoring his fellow students as an AmeriCorps member.

By the time he graduated, Joey had already become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), earned 18 college credits through REACH!’s Early College Program, received CPR and first aid training, was a three-time Ben Carson Scholar and joined the National Honor Society. Joey will attend Stevenson University, where he plans on pursuing a degree in biology and a career as a dentist. He says it’s a solid career that will enable him to help those in need.

Tykiera knows she wants to become a Registered Nurse and now has the tools she needs to make that happen. The tutoring, mentoring and college readiness training she received at REACH! helped her form this focused and attainable goal. Like Joey, she became a Certified Nursing Assistant, which will bring her one step closer to her dream.

REACH’s Early College Program had a huge impact on her. She joined her sophomore year and got to experience “living the college lifestyle while still in high school”. She says it was overwhelming at first – signing up for classes, handling the coursework, interacting with new people – but professors, REACH! staff and AmeriCorps members worked closely with her to navigate this new terrain. As a high school student, Tykiera earned 12 college credits that she will use to continue her academic journey at Baltimore City Community College.

Photo credit to Craig Weiman.