Goodwill Industries International Honors Joyce Schlose with Mission Advancement Award
Denver, CO — Joyce Schlose’s passion for improving the lives of youth led to the development of a Youth Career Development Program at Goodwill Industries of Denver (CO), which now serves 18,000 students per year. For innovation in developing career readiness strategies for youth at risk of dropping out of school, Goodwill Industries International honors Schlose with the 2013 Robert E. and Charlotte Watkins Award for Excellence in Mission Advancement.
Schlose, vice president of workforce development for Goodwill®, won the support of the superintendent of Denver Public Schools to implement ongoing career readiness classes for youth in area high schools. The program equips students with job and life skills, introduces them to possible career paths, prepares them for post-secondary education and connects them with mentors from the business community. Today, Goodwill Industries of Denver has 40 licensed, full-time teachers at 31 Denver and Northern Colorado schools that have traditionally high drop-out rates.
Schlose uses a third-party evaluator from the University of Colorado to track the program’s success. In 2012, 84 percent of Goodwill Denver students graduated compared to 55 percent of non-Goodwill students. The drop-out rate for Goodwill students was 11 percent compared to 26 percent for non-Goodwill students. Almost 50 percent of Goodwill students enroll in college compared to 30 percent of non-Goodwill students.
“Joyce’s vision has resulted in an exemplary youth program that can be duplicated by other Goodwill member organizations,” said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “Goodwill Industries of Denver has been fortunate to have her leadership for the past 17 years, and the Goodwill enterprise can benefit greatly from Joyce’s successes.”
Schlose will receive her award at Goodwill’s annual Delegate Assembly meeting in Grand Rapids, MI, on Sunday, June 23.
ABOUT THE AWARD
The Robert E. and Charlotte Watkins Award for Mission Advancement honors a Goodwill leader (CEO, staff or volunteer) who has made an innovative contribution (service or process) to the advancement of the Goodwill mission.
