Sangamon County, Hanson Professional Services, and the City of Springfield have agreed to continue funding the Minority Participation Program in connection with the Springfield Rail Improvement Project.
The Grow Our Own Minority Participation Program is a commitment to helping Springfield's minority youth attain college degrees and eventually full-time employment in engineering and railroad-related fields.
Sangamon County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter led a unanimous vote for a two-year extension of the program, saying, "This program is a good demonstration of what we can accomplish if we work together modestly to achieve a goal."
Grow Our Own selects students from middle school through college to participate in mentoring, educational initiatives, job training, and internships. Opportunities along each of these pathways help to prepare high-performing youth for successful, prosperous careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Hanson Professional Services is excited about the extension of the program, President & CEO Satch Pecori said, "We are trying to ramp up as many opportunities as possible so that these kids can get excited about science, technology, engineering, and math and determine if this is the career path they want to take."