Align4edu

Alignment Collaborative for Education - ACE

Grant Awards

Strong Collaborations Lead to $8 Million for Youth Apprenticeships

Brian McGuire, President and CEO, AED Foundation; Illinois State Senator Cristina Castro; U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi; Mark Toulos, Operating Engineers Local 150; Melissa Owens, President, U-46 Board of Education; Eric Hill, CEO, Youth Workforce Development Foundation

Thank you to Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) Foundation and Youth Workforce Development Foundation (YWDF)

South Elgin High School made the news serving as the announcement site for an $8 million dollar grant awarded through the Build America program to help high school students across the state access apprenticeship programs in heavy machine maintenance and operations. Led by Alignment’s partner, the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) Foundation, in partnership with the Youth Workforce Development Foundation (YWDF), and  SkillsUSA Illinois, Eric Hill, CEO of YWDF, shared with the greater Elgin community the framework for the grant to build youth-focused apprenticeships that create a “pipeline to long-term career opportunities in the heavy equipment space”.  

Brian McGuire, president of the AED Foundation joined by U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi and Illinois State Senator Cristina Castro, together shared the importance and significance of this grant to train the future workforce in a career field projecting 40,000 job vacancies. Across the region, Terry Stroh, director, Northern Kane County Region 110, has worked in partnership with school districts U-46, 300, and 301 to expand career options for students enrolled in the region’s automotive CTE programs.  

Just this past summer, Alignment joined efforts across Region 110 to offer paid summer internship opportunities to automotive students hosted by ALTA, West Side Tractor, and the Bob Loquercio Auto Group. Sean Fitzgerrel, Vice President of the AED Foundation, led efforts to bring Alignment, Region 110, and YWDC together sharing that “the Alignment Collaborative played a pivotal role in securing ABA Round 2 funding. Through strategic partnerships and a shared vision, they amplified our effort, demonstrating the collective power of collaboration in driving workforce development and educational advancement.”

Brian McGuire, President and CEO, AED Foundation; Illinois State Senator Cristina Castro; U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi; Mark Toulos, Operating Engineers Local 150; Melissa Owens, President, U-46 Board of Education; Eric Hill, CEO, Youth Workforce Development Foundation
Steve Schertz, U-46 Automotive Teacher, State Senator Cristina Castro, Esther Mongan, Superintendent, Central Unit School District 301
U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi
ALTA Interns
ALTA Intern
West Side Tractor Interns
West Side Tractor Interns
Bob Loquercio Auto Group Interns

Thank you to the Seigle Foundation

Mark and Robin Seigle with Governing Board Chair Bill Wright at EXPLORE 2022
Mark and Robin Seigle with Governing Board Chair Bill Wright at EXPLORE 2022

Alignment was recognized by the Seigle Foundation with a $37,000 grant award in support of its work to prepare our youth for future personal and career success.

This generous funding will allow Alignment to continue expanding its work-based learning initiatives for middle and high school students throughout the U-46, 300 and 301 school districts. That work includes career exploration as early as middle school advancing to more specialized, industry specific opportunities for high school students and includes Resume Workshops, Career and Technical Panels, Postsecondary Days, and Job Fairs. Through our growing Internship Program, students will have the opportunity to be placed in various work-based learning settings across multiple industry clusters. These opportunities are made available by Alignment’s large network of over 200 partners committed to building a future workforce that meets the economic and social growth of the community.  

Nancy Coleman, Alignment’s executive director expressed our appreciation to the Seigle Foundation: “Alignment could not have a better partner than the Seigle Foundation. Their human and financial investments are critical to the success of these students, their families, and the future strength of our region’s workforce.”

Thank You to the Seigle Foundation

Mark and Robin Seigle with Governing Board Chair Bill Wright at EXPLORE 2022
Robin and Mark Seigle with Alignment Governing Board Chair Bill Wright at EXPLORE 2022

Thank you to the Seigle Foundation and its commitment to Alignment’s mission to provide future workforce development programs and services that give students the opportunity across the region to graduate academic and career ready. The Seigle Foundation awarded a total of $283,000 to educational organizations in the region. Alignment is excited and honored to be named as one of those organizations.

In a recent article in the Daily Herald, Nancy Coleman, Alignment’s executive director expressed our appreciation to the Seigle Foundation. “Alignment greatly appreciates the Seigle Foundation for its investment in future workforce development. Thank you for your human and financial contribution to our shared commitment that students graduate academic and career ready prepared for continued success.”

Here is the link to the Daily Herald’s June 27, 2023 original article on the Seigle Foundation:
https://www.dailyherald.com/submitted/20230627/seigle-foundation-grants-surpass-10-million-mark

Here is the link to the August 28, 2023 updated article “Recent Seigle Foundation grants bring giving to over $1 million”:
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20230828/recent-seigle-foundation-grants-bring-giving-to-over-1-million

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.

Alignment Launches New Fiscal Year with Generous Support from the Seigle Foundation

Seigle Foundation Awards Grant to Alignment

Alignment was recognized by the Seigle Foundation with a $25,000 grant award to kickoff its new fiscal year. The Seigle Foundation selected Alignment for this award based on its work in the Elgin and Dundee communities to prepare youth for future personal and career success.  

Alignment will utilize this generous funding to expand its work-based learning initiatives for middle and high school students throughout the Elgin and Dundee communities. That work includes career exploration as early as middle school advancing to more specialized, industry specific opportunities for high school students. Students have the opportunity to be placed in various work-based learning settings across multiple industry clusters. These opportunities are made available by Alignment’s large network of over 200 partners committed to building a future workforce that meets the economic and social growth of the community.  

Thank you to the Seigle Family for providing this investment in our youth, the community, and the region’s future workforce development.