Recently PSSI announced a partnership with the Waterloo Schools Foundation. In recognition of National School Counseling Week, we invited Hannah Luce, Executive Director of the Waterloo School Foundation to share her thoughts about the important work the Waterloo Career Center does to help guide students in the district.

A few weeks ago, we were happy to welcome members of the PSSI team to the Waterloo Career Center, marking its recent contribution to the Waterloo Schools Foundation. As partner of the Waterloo Career Center and Waterloo Schools, we facilitate financial partnerships – and PSSI’s contribution will provide hands-on learning equipment for students and enable the creation of five new career and technical education academies. These career academies help set students in the Waterloo Community School District (WCSD) up for success in our community after graduation, and in eleven other surrounding districts.

The Waterloo Career Center works to enhance learning opportunities, elevate student achievement, and illuminate career path opportunities through technical education. One in seven students in the WCSD live at or below the poverty line and as a majority minority district – over 60% of our students belong to a historically excluded population. The Career Center provides opportunities to students that may not have been available to them in previous years.

As executive director, it is heartening to play matchmaker between the center and district partners like PSSI that want to work with our students and staff to understand where and how needs can be met. And as a foundation, we are grateful for Partners In Education (PIE) like PSSI that understand the need for a holistic approach to support students through schools. As a PIE, PSSI does not only provide monetary support, but it also assists in volunteer opportunities and in-kind contributions. The holistic philanthropy lens will benefit many students and families in the district now and into the future.