Commission on Children Forum

By Vicki Gallon-Clark - On January 22, 2012

Participants discussing the trend at a forum Tuesday in Hartford say that it's alarming, and that society suffers when an entire generation's chance to learn valuable workplace skills are delayed or denied. On a personal level, it's also a source of growing stress for teenagers who need jobs for experience, pocket money or to help their families.

"My mom doesn't have a lot of money and what she does have, she spends on me and on my brother, so I really want to work and be able to help and take care of some things myself," said Trisana Spence, 16, who moved last year from New York City's Brooklyn borough to Hartford and hopes someday to become a lawyer.

Spence, a junior at the Hartford Culinary Arts Academy high school, might end up with a slight advantage. She's in a paid internship through her school and the city's Blue Hills Civic Association to learn job skills and will be placed at a yet-undetermined job this summer. She says she'll work extra hard in hopes that the employer will keep her on board even after the summer so she can help pay for household expenses and some extras, such as her 4-year-old brother's karate lessons.

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BHCA Slight Edge Program

By Carla Williams - On January 12, 2012

BHCA Slight Edge students from the Hartford Culinary Arts Academy (Dominique Luckey, Joshua DeLeon and Trisana Spence) with State Rep. Marie Kirkley-Bey. Youth leaders attended a forum held at the Legislative Office Buildings hosted by the Comission on Children on January 11th, 2012 entitled "Youth Unemployment: The Great Depression."

North Hartford Education Task Force

By Janice Flemming - On November 22, 2011

In response to community concerns regarding plans to renovate schools in North Hartford, BHCA has spearheaded the formation of the North Hartford education Taskforce.

The NHETF created a survey that gets the community and stakeholders critically thinking about education in North Hartford. A total of 881 people were surveyed which included parents, residents, students, alumni, and stakeholders were surveyed.