How KAPOW businesses benefit...

      KAPOW businesses are recognized for their corporate service and community responsibility.

     The company receives positive P.R. in the community.

      Volunteers develop their leadership and presentation skills.              

      Business volunteers develop an understanding of what children need to learn to be successful workers.

      Business volunteers are motivated about their jobs,  rejuvenated about their work for their company and develop an appreciation for the value of their own work.

      Business volunteers become better informed consumers of educational services as a result of their interaction with schools.

      Business volunteers become better citizens and parents because of their increased knowledge of schools.

      Business volunteers become better skilled workers.

Benefits to KAPOW schools...

      Schools form strong relationships with their business        partner(s).

      Schools create a bridge between the goals of education and employment.

      Schools, teachers and students develop an increased  understanding of how school and school subjects are connected to work.

      Teachers and students learn more about the types of jobs available in the community today and skills needed to hold those jobs.

      Students are introduced to employability skills and the world of work.

      Students have the idea reinforced that skills and work habits they learn in school apply to their future work.

      Students are exposed to a variety of jobs in the community.

      Teachers learn to view the classroom as their students’ workplace.

      Teachers gain increased respect and awareness for the work done in their partner company and in the community.

        Teachers begin to link school and work by integrating the two into the core curriculum.

In the summer of 1994, the Center for Human Resources at Brandeis University’s Heller Graduate School began a two-year evaluation of the KAPOW program. Aside from the above listed benefits of the program, some highlights of the program can be summarized as follows:

KAPOW is achieving many of its intended results, including, in particular, providing an age appropriate introduction to school-to-career issue for elementary school children.

KAPOW has proven itself to be a viable elementary school level component for communities developing K-12 school to career activities.

KAPOW represents a unique elementary STW approach among elementary level business/education partnerships. KAPOW is well structured, has a comprehensive, written curricula and involves youth in a rich mix of career awareness activities.

The business and school partners in the participating sites have done a good job of implementing the model.