McLean County Compact

Mission

The McLean County Community Compact, through a coalition of business, education, community and government offers support to our school-age youth to help them become self-sufficient, contributing citizens. The Compact facilitates the preparation of school-age youth for a more effective transition from formal schooling to the world of work. Since 1989, over 150 community leaders have collaborated to strengthen the transition of young people from school to the world of work.

These leaders in conjunction with hundreds of volunteers commit their support and participate in several projects to improve academic preparation and career readiness. Compact members initiate projects that bring together business, schools, government and community agencies. Each project is designed to spark cooperative efforts, develop on-going partnerships and create unique career exploration opportunities for our youth.

Sixth Grade Business / Education Partnership

The Sixth Grade Business / Education Partnership introduces students to the world of work by coordinating the adoption of every sixth grade class in McLean County by a business partner of the McLean County Community Compact. Over 2200 students in sixty-four sixth grade classrooms are offered this opportunity. The program is now entering its 22nd year.

In the classroom, each business emphasizes hands-on activities, career opportunities within the business, and training necessary to succeed in that business and other businesses. Each Sixth Grade Business / Education Partnership is established by an initial meeting with the business, the school principal, and teacher(s). Five to six class meetings are set up at that time to describe in detail to the students how they would apply the education they are now receiving to a job with this business. Different elements of the business are explored such as hiring procedures, advertising, production, management, financial needs, responsibilities, and teamwork.

Students are exposed to real world applications of their work in the classroom and are shown the specific career path leading to their area of expressed interest within the business. Thus, they have a much better understanding of why a solid educational background is important to all employees entering the labor force in the future at any level of employment.

It is the goal of the Sixth Grade Business / Education Partnership Committee to make this learning opportunity fun for the teachers, students, administrators, and employees who participate. The business leaves the school with the entire group of participants more informed regarding their particular business and knowledge of employment expectations for the workers within it.

Katie School of Insurance / COB Role

The Katie School of Insurance was asked by COUNTRY Financial, to succeed them in their role with McLean County Compact in teaching 6th graders about insurance. In 2011, the school selected to work with the Katie School was Chiddix Jr. High School. The Katie School will provide instruction on March 18, April 1, and April 8, and April 15 at the school. Lessons and instructions for the classes will be a joint effort of the insurance students and the COB Business Education students. A team of 4 (2 insurance and 2 business ed students) will present each week. The students will present on the topics of math, science, English, and social sciences, as they related to insurance.

On April 29th, the students will take a field trip to ISU's College of Business. The trip will culminate with cake and ice cream in the College courtyard. COUNTRY Financial will provide financial support for all materials and the celebration party at the end. COUNTRY Financial will also provide technical support on lessons plans.

View the McLean County Compact photo album from 2011 at Chiddix Junior High School