STRIVE
STRIVE (Students Taking Renewed Interest in the Value of Education) is a mentorship program for high school seniors who have faced some academic challenges but want to make the most of their last year of high school. The program was started by White Bear Lake Rotarian, Don Mooney over 30 years ago. Rotary Club of Chaska became involved in STRIVE in 1998.
Our club provides mentors for the STRIVE students to help them succeed and make the best choices for their future following high school. We also provide scholarships to STRIVE students focusing on participation in the STRIVE program and improvement to GPA.
In addition to providing mentorship to students, we arrange for speakers on relevant subjects to attend meetings, and take tours to appropriate secondary schools in the immediate area. Some of our activities have included:
In addition to providing mentorship to students, we arrange for speakers on relevant subjects to attend meetings, and take tours to appropriate secondary schools in the immediate area. Some of our activities have included:
- speakers from Dunwoody Technical College on their innovative financing options to help students with financing challenges
- speaker from AON Insurance Company which sponsors an apprenticeship program with paid tuition to Normandale Community College
- a meeting focusing on interviewing skills with a mock interview with a Rotary mentor for each student
- a motivational speaker who is a person of color who moved from the prison system to earning a PhD and becoming the Chairman of the State Parole Board and college professor
- bringing in subject experts on various careers that are of interest to the students
- a meeting focusing on the value of networking and how to develop a network
- a meeting focusing on personal budgeting and money management
- a meeting to complete a service project with Rotarians such as Feed My Starving Children
Our last meeting with the students is one of our regular breakfast meetings where we invite and recognize students who have earned scholarships during the year with STRIVE.
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