Round-Up in February to benefit Forward NM

 in FORWARD NM News / News / Uncategorized by (updated on )

Monday, February 4, 2019; Silver City, NM:  Shoppers at the Silver City Food Co-op have a chance to Round-Up and benefit local youth educational opportunities every time they check out during February.

The Round-Up program allows Silver City Food Co-Op shoppers to round up to the nearest dollar when they check out, and for all of February those pennies will add up to donated dollars for the Frontier and Rural Workforce Development for New Mexico (FORWARD NM). The donated funds will benefit the no cost, summer academies FORWARD NM offers in Silver City, which enhance local youths’ education with a focus on STEM subjects — science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Director of Forward NM Bala Salgado said, “Being selected for the Round-Up program is an honor.  Our program truly appreciates this opportunity and the support we receive from our community.”

In previous years, the summer academy participants have their ACT [American College Testing] scores increased by an average of 36 percent during the three-week program. How does this increase benefit youth? A one-point increase on the ACT can translate to up to $24,000 in scholarships and significantly raise a student’s chance for admittance into the college of her or his choice, according to the College Solution Website.

“Almost 10,000 students in southwest New Mexico have participated in Forward NM programs since 2011,” said Anna Daggett, program specialist for Forward NM.  “Since the beginning of the year, I’ve presented to 75 students at Cliff, Cobre, and Reserve High Schools about the career opportunities available for them in health care.”

Forward NM program specialist, Anna Daggett shopping at the Silver City Food Co-Op. For February you can “round-up” you purchase at the Food Co-Op to benefit Forward NM and their youth summer academies when you check out.
Forward NM program specialist, Anna Daggett shopping at the Silver City Food Co-Op. For February you can “round-up” you purchase at the Food Co-Op to benefit Forward NM and their youth summer academies when you check out.

“Summer Academies are a great opportunity for high school students.  They get the opportunity to experience a college class, learn about health careers, and work towards increasing their ACT scores,” added Salgado.

FORWARD NM staff will be on-hand at the Silver City Food Co-op to visit with the public and share information on the summer academies on Thursday, February 7, and Tuesday, February 19 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. 

FORWARD NM is a program of the Center for Health Innovation and sponsors summer academies to support the success of high school and college students interested in pursuing careers in health care. Additionally, FORWARD NM is one of three Area Health Education Center’s (AHEC) in the state dedicated to enhancing access to quality health care, particularly primary and preventative care by improving the supply and distribution of healthcare professionals through community and academic partnerships.

For more information contact Salgado at (575) 597-0030 or email: bsalgado@swchi.org.