The City of Valdosta neighborhood development and administrative staff along with city council members and the mayor recently accepted the Bronze Cornerstone Community Award for the city’s Great Promise Partnership Program. The award was received on June 25th at the Georgia Municipal Association’s Annual Convention in Savannah.

Valdosta was one of the first municipalities in Georgia to participate in the statewide initiative. The city has committed to providing local young people up to two years of employment, job training, life skills, mentoring and income as incentives to finish high school through the GPP program.

“We’re proud that the City of Valdosta and Valdosta High School were selected in 2013 as community participants, making our city one of the first municipalities to utilize the program in the State of Georgia,” said City Manager Mark Barber. “The GPP program is beneficial not only for the students but also for the city department personnel who have enjoyed having the helpful assistance that these students provide in the day-to-day operations of the city for the past several years. This is a partnership that is doing the right thing and the best thing for our youth – and that is teaching them the fundamentals of success.”

Valdosta was also honored in 2017 at the GMA convention for being a leader in Georgia in the implementation of the GPP program. During the last year’s convention, the city received the 2017 Great Promise Partnership Trailblazer Award.

“This acknowledgment from both the Georgia Municipal Association and the Great Promise Partnership Program confirms the importance of this program and others like it to our community and other communities across our state,” said Vanassa Flucas, Neighborhood Development/Community Protection Manager. “Career training and mentoring our youth is so important, especially for those students who may feel they have no real options concerning the completion of school versus working for mere survival.  This program is a win-win for the students, Valdosta City Schools and the City of Valdosta as a whole.”

The Great Promise Partnership focuses on preparing at-risk students in grades 6 through 12 for a successful future. The Valdosta GPP students work full time in several city departments during July and part-time during the fall and spring around their school schedules to gain real-world experience and job training while also earning a paycheck. The internships are funded through the City of Valdosta’s Community Development Block Grant program, which is an economic development initiative that provides – among other assistances – employment opportunities and training for low-moderate income persons.

The students get assigned to a mentor and a supervisor and work in the following Valdosta departments: Engineering, Planning and Zoning, Inspections, Public Works, Utilities, Finance, Human Resources, Neighborhood Development, Fire, and Police.

“We would love to see other local businesses and organizations join in on this initiative. As a community, we can build on this program and continue to invest in our youth, who are the future of this city,” said Mayor John Gayle. “This program provides opportunities for these students to be successful in their next steps in life such as careers or post-secondary education. We believe in our youth – this is a commitment that will truly have a positive return on our investment and ensure the vitality of Valdosta for years to come.”