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Alignment Collaborative for Education - ACE

Community Awareness

Alignment’s January Highlights

Resume Workshops

Over 1,400 students complete resume workshops in preparation for Summer Internships and the Senior Job Fair on April 18.

Healthcare Rotational Internship

District 300 students interested in healthcare careers began on January 22 a pilot rotational internship program hosted by Advocate Sherman and Well Child Center.

Teacher Pipeline Education Day

Students from seven District 300 and U-46 high schools attended the region’s Education Day on January 24 facilitated by Alignment’s Teacher Pipeline A-Team and hosted by ECC.

Annual Counselor Day Hosted by Nicor

Fifty U-46 counselors and administrators visited Nicor on January 26 to study the region’s apprenticeship programs to include corporate, college, federal, and local union opportunities.

Thank You to Our Partners Leading January’s Events

Advocate Sherman Hospital
AON
CISCO
Elgin Community College
IAMAW Local 701
IBEW 117
IL Division of Rehabilitation Services
Nicor
Northern Illinois University
Well Child Center
West Side Tractor
YouthBuild (Housing Authority)
Zurich

Nicor hosts U-46 counselors
Tracy Vittone shares ECC’s transfer opportunities
Dundee Crown students begin Advocate Sherman rotational internship experience
Alex Owens from NIU highlights PLEDGE Program
EHS alum and current Zurich apprentice visit with U-46 counselors
Dundee Crown students begin Well Child Center internship
Dr. Sam welcomes Future Teachers to ECC
AON Recruitment Team shares apprenticeship opportunities for 2024

Alignment Visits the Leadership Academy Class of 2024

Alignment ELA 2024 Session

Alignment was invited to the Elgin Area Leadership Academy Class of 2024 joined by the leadership of ECC, EMSA, Judson, and U-46. The January Saturday morning session provided a great time to discuss education, future workforce development, and the continued advancement of the greater Elgin community. The Leadership Academy mentored and coordinated by Dan Fox, Ruth Munson, and Anthony Ramos has graduated over 15 classes contributing to Elgin having a solid leadership base networked across business and community organizations.

Edgar Montes, Alignment’s community program manager, is a member of the Class of 2024. Edgar describes his experience: “My experience has been amazing during my time in the academy. Being raised in Elgin, I’m amazed at just how much is out there for me to learn about my community. Learning from different leaders in Elgin gives me a sense of happiness knowing that I share similar backgrounds as them.”

United Way of Metro Chicago Launches Neighborhood Network in Elgin with Leadership Gift from Nicor Gas Foundation

Alignment Collaborative for Education will lead
the vision and work of the Elgin Neighborhood Network

United Way of Metro Chicago, in collaboration with founding supporter Nicor Gas Foundation and lead partner agency Alignment Collaborative for Education, has announced the expansion of its Neighborhood Network Initiative in Elgin. Establishing a Neighborhood Network in Elgin empowers local neighborhood leaders to leverage a multi-year investment from Nicor Gas Foundation and support from United Way to identify and solve issues important to their community.
   
“United Way has a long-standing relationship and partnership with the Elgin community,” said United Way of Metro Chicago President and CEO Sean Garrett. “Along with the Nicor Gas Foundation, we are thrilled to work with our partners at Alignment Collaborative for Education to launch the Elgin Neighborhood Network and reaffirm United Way’s commitment to the residents of Elgin. Our goal is to continue to work together to build a community where everyone can reach their potential and thrive.”  

“As the founding supporter of the Elgin Neighborhood Network, the Nicor Gas Foundation is honored to join United Way of Metro Chicago and our community partners on this transformative investment,” said Nicor Gas President and CEO Wendell Dallas. “We are committed to advancing equity in education for all young people. Nicor Gas is proud to support the Elgin Neighborhood Network and work in partnership with Alignment Collaborative for Education to provide workforce training opportunities and job readiness programs to better prepare high school students to pursue fulfilling careers.”

“The launch of the Elgin Neighborhood Network is a gamechanger for the Elgin community,” said Alignment Collaborative for Education Executive Director Nancy Coleman. “We are grateful for United Way of Metro Chicago and the Nicor Gas Foundation for believing in our work and joining our strong coalition of community leaders to ensure all people can thrive in Elgin, starting with crucial education and workforce development programming for our youth.”

Mayor Kaptain Recognizes Alignment’s Work in State of City Address

Photo Credit : James Harvey Photography

In his annual state of the city address, Mayor David Kaptain cited strong partnerships with community partners as a reason for Elgin’s success. Alignment Collaborative for Education is proud to be one of those partners.

“Workforce development and business retention have resulted in a growing city, a healthy city,” Kaptain said during a breakfast sponsored by the Elgin Area Chamber at Elgin Community College. “We’ve done a really good job of doing balanced, diversified growth.” He said the city’s focus on education in the last seven years and the efforts of Alignment Collaborative for Education are helping to create employees to support the growing business community.

“We are creating a workforce that will provide workers at all levels,” Kaptain said, adding that the group’s work has been recognized by the United Way, which gave it a $150,000 grant to continue improving workforce education.

Read the entire Daily Herald article by Rick West here.

Read the Elgin Courier-News article by Gloria Casas here.

Elgin Area Chamber’s Women’s Leadership Circle Features Alignment’s Work in the Community

Alignment is featured non-profit at the Elgin Area Chamber's Women's Leadership Circle

Alignment joined the Elgin Area Chamber’s Women’s Leadership Circle as the featured non-profit at its July 26th networking event at Pinot’s Palette in St. Charles.  

The event provided a great opportunity to update community leaders about Alignment’s summer internship program as well as upcoming fall events like Explore 2022 scheduled for October 5th and 6th at the NOW Centre. Nancy Coleman as part of the networking group shared “this event is a great opportunity to recruit additional volunteers to serve as role models for our students as we work to increase opportunities to grow career interests and leadership skills within the region’s future workforce”. 

Thank you to the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce for this networking opportunity.

Alignment Collaborative Selected as Featured Charity

Alignment Collaborative Selected as Featured Charity
Bear Family and City of Elgin Police Softball Game
September 13, 2021, 6:00 to 8:00 pm

Alignment is excited to be the featured charity for the Bear Family and Elgin Police Charity Softball Game rescheduled for September 13th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Elgin Sports Complex.  Our partners, the Bear Family and the City of Elgin Police, will donate all proceeds from concessions and the 50/50 raffle to Alignment’s work in our schools and the community.

Your donation via our website of just $10 to the 50/50 Raffle benefits our earliest learners and our middle and high school students as they prepare for academic and career success. Raffle tickets will also be available at the event.

We look forward to seeing you!