May 28, 2016
Written by Jilly Gokalgandhi, United Way Employee
Bradley Tech and Trade School chose the Community Schools model as a reform strategy as a part of their Commitment School grant with Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) in early 2015. Bradley Tech is a unique school as it provides its students with access to engineering, construction, manufacturing, and design career pathways. The school is using the Community Schools model to ensure that the staff, parents, students, partners, community members, local businesses, and alumni are able partner together to identify the resources the school and community can use to support each other.
Currently, we are working towards connecting our academic coursework into a solid career pathways framework that allows students an easy transition from high school to their next step. We engage a variety of stakeholders on a consistent basis to ensure we are meeting our goals of shared leadership, equity, and cultural relevance. We are excited about our current and future collaborations between Bradley Tech and the community!
What was your favorite book as a child?
My favorite books were anything by Judy Blume or the Nancy Drew series.
Who was your favorite teacher in school and why?
I think it’s a tie between my high school English and History teachers. I used to jokingly call them two peas in a pod; needless to say they were unamused. They understood and met students where they were, made class engaging and challenging, and were always available to develop and support students outside of their required commitment.
What did you want to be (career) when you were a child?
I’ve always wanted to be an ambassador. I sat next a Foreign Service officer on a plane once, and when I landed and saw my parents, the first thing I said (even before hello or I missed you) was, “I know what I want to do with the rest of my life!”
Explain your most embarrassing moment as a child?
I didn’t learn how to ride a two wheel bike until a little later in life (if I had to estimate, like year 7 or 8). When I moved to a new neighborhood I tried to keep it a secret. My cover was blown pretty quickly because it seemed like all the kids in the neighborhood had bikes. I flipped my bike over in front of all of the neighborhood kids. It worked out, though, I guess, because they ended up teaching me how to ride my bike, so, there’s that.